Ben Gvir Says He Will Seek Defense Ministry in Next Government

Itamar Ben-Gvir said at a Jerusalem press conference that he intends to demand the Defense Ministry in the next government, subject to Otzma Yehudit’s mandate total. He said MK Tally Gotliv would be the party’s candidate for justice minister and MK Yitzhak Wasserlauf its candidate for national security minister. Ben-Gvir presented a defense agenda including revised open-fire rules, higher soldiers’ pay, land grants for combat soldiers, disarming the Palestinian Authority and changing the IDF ethics code. Gotliv said her justice agenda would begin with dismissing the attorney general and requiring Knesset hearings and two-thirds committee approval for Supreme Court nominees.