Leaked audio attributed to Israeli president manifests his concern over extremist Knesset member expected to join upcoming government
JERUSALEM
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Thursday “the whole world is worried” about the far-right views of Knesset member Itamar Ben-Gvir, who is expected to become a minister in the upcoming government.
Herzog held talks on Wednesday with leaders of the Shas Party as part of three-day consultations with representatives of the political parties voted into the Knesset (Israel’s parliament), before tasking an individual with forming a government based on their recommendations.
“You will have a problem with the Temple Mount (Al-Aqsa Mosque), which is a critical issue,” Herzog told the party leaders. “The whole world is afraid of your partner Ben-Gvir,” he added in a leaked audio cited by Walla news portal.
A statement by Herzog’s office said the Israeli president “presented to members of the Shas Party the inquiries he received, including concerns about MK Itamar Ben-Gvir’s positions on certain issues.”
Ben-Gvir, for his part, stated, “We had fruitful talks with President Herzog in recent weeks.”
Ben-Gvir holds far-right views on the Palestinians. He had previously called for the displacement of Palestinians. He also caused a wave of escalation in occupied East Jerusalem after setting up an office in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.
Ben-Gvir has repeatedly joined Israeli settlers in storming the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in East Jerusalem.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world’s third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area the “Temple Mount,” claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognized by the international community.
