Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on Monday that his Jewish Power party plans to run independently in the October elections rather than on a joint ticket with the Religious Zionism party — a move that could reshape the balance within Israel’s far-right bloc and complicate Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s efforts to secure a governing majority. The two parties ran together in the 2022 general election and won 14 Knesset seats. Still, analysts suggest that Ben-Gvir may be willing to negotiate another joint run with Religious Zionism, provided the terms are favorable to him.

Speaking to reporters ahead of his faction’s weekly Knesset meeting, Ben-Gvir referred to Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, chairman of the Religious Zionism party, and said that “in order to have a right-wing government, we must run separately.”

Ben-Gvir argued that a forced alliance between the two parties would attract fewer votes than separate runs. “The only option for a right-wing government is for Smotrich to run in a sect-based party,” he said, adding that he believes Smotrich will clear the electoral threshold.

Will alliances help or hurt?