According to a report by Reuters on October 25th, American billionaire investor Bill Ackman stated that Itamar Ben-Gurion and Bezeviler Smoltich should not serve in Israel’s next government. He argued that these two far-right politicians have caused significant damage to Israel’s reputation.
It is understood that this well-known hedge fund manager is Jewish. He became involved publicly two days before the Israeli elections. Polls show that the election situation between Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition and the opposition is very close.
Akkman wrote on the X platform that, from the perspective of someone who understands Israel's image in the United States, "the statements and actions of Ben-Gurion and Schmotrichter have caused significant damage to Israel's reputation."
The founder of Panxing Square Capital Management Company praised Netanyahu last week. He believed that a government without these two ministers would send a signal that Israel is “opening a new chapter”.
He said: “This will enable Israel to regain its lost credibility, increase the chances of expanding the ‘Abraham Accords’, and maintain better relations with Democrats, Republicans, and the general American public.”
The “Abraham Accords” were agreements reached in 2020 under the mediation of U.S. President Donald Trump’s first administration. Under these accords, Israel established diplomatic relations with the UAE and Bahrain. Later, Israel also re-established formal relations with Morocco.
As the minister of the National Union of Jewish Religious and National Communities, Bnei Gavriel and Smotritzky implemented policies against Israeli minority groups and Palestinians living in occupied territories on the West Bank.
Several countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, have imposed sanctions on these two ministers, accusing them of inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
According to a poll, Ben-Gurion’s Jewish Power Party is expected to win about 10 parliamentary seats in the elections on Tuesday, up from the previous 6 seats. Smoltich’s Religious Zionism Party is expected to win 8 seats, up from the previous 7 seats.
Aksman was visiting Israel last week. He and his wife, Nir Oxman, hold a 5% stake in the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. In 2024, he supported Trump's run for president. Last week, Trump publicly supported Netanyahu as prime minister.
Israeli think tank Mitromoth Institute Director Nimrod Goren said that Ackman's statement seems to reflect a desire within Trump's circle to have Netanyahu abandon his far-right allies after the election, in order to form a ‘unity government’ with the opposition party.
However, Netanyahu's main rivals, Gadi Eshkol and other opposition party leaders have ruled out the possibility of forming a government with Netanyahu.
Ackman spoke at a meeting in Tel Aviv on the 22nd, praising Netanyahu for his excellent work in protecting and defending Israel since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
