Netanyahu: "No, I Won't Fire Ben Gvir"; Ben Gvir: "I'm Not Scared"

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu firmly rejected a call by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to dismiss National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, declaring "it will not happen" during a stormy cabinet meeting Sunday.

The confrontation comes after the Attorney General's office presented a legal opinion arguing that Netanyahu should advance the dismissal of Ben Gvir, sparking a heated debate within the government over the limits of ministerial authority and the role of legal advisors.

Cabinet Erupts Over Dismissal Call

During Sunday's cabinet meeting, ministers rallied to Ben Gvir's defense. Religious Services Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf opened the discussion, stating: "Every time we raise an issue in discussion, the legal advisor obstructs and the prosecution prevents. Now they want to fire Minister Ben Gvir. This is not just against him, it's against all of us."

Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs added: "There is no precedent for dismissing a minister without an indictment. This is breaking the system, this is the end of democracy."

Ben Gvir himself claimed pressure tactics were used against him: "They tried to squeeze me, someone from the Attorney General's environment, that if I don't appoint Rinat Saban they will fire me. Gil Limon, who is present here, knows who that someone is."

Ben Gvir: "I'm Not Afraid"

In an extensive interview with Srugim earlier Sunday, Ben Gvir addressed the controversy head-on, calling the Attorney General's opinion his "greatest certificate of success."

"You know what my greatest achievement is? It's the Attorney General's opinion in recent days, where she writes that the High Court should fire the minister. And when you read what she says, she says: 'Minister Ben Gvir changed the policy on the Temple Mount.' For example. Of course I changed the policy, that's my job. What am I a minister for? I was elected to implement policy. That's how democracy works," Ben Gvir stated.

He continued defiantly: "She wants to fire me because she knows I'm doing things that weren't done before me... I'm not afraid of her. I'm going with my truth... The High Court has no authority at all to touch my appointment. I don't have an indictment, I don't have an investigation... I'm not a potted plant."

Policy Changes and Achievements

Ben Gvir defended his record during the interview, highlighting crime reduction statistics: "We're talking on a day when all these past one-two months there's been 60% fewer shooting incidents in the Negev. This proves itself. 20% fewer car thefts in all of Israel... Just this year we demolished 5,000 illegal houses. When I came to the Israel Police they told me they don't demolish illegal houses... I'm doing what wasn't done for 30 years before me."

The minister revealed that crime organizations attempted negotiations: "Two months ago they sent me a message, they said: 'Know this, Ben Gvir, lower the enforcement and we'll keep the peace.' Not willing. That's what they did in Gaza... I'm not willing."

On weapons licensing, Ben Gvir noted: "When I came there were 43 civilian security teams, I opened 1,000 security teams... I made the weapons reform... In this year and a half, 240,000 licenses, and as you said – this saves lives."

Temple Mount and Death Penalty

Regarding changes at the Temple Mount, the minister stated: "We permitted prayer on the Temple Mount, and bowing and singing... I went with my truth and the Middle East woke up in the morning, the sun rose. It only proves one thing: with terror, with threats, criminals, we don't give in, we continue forward."

Ben Gvir, who wore a noose-shaped pin on his lapel during the interview, emphasized he has not abandoned the demand for the death penalty: "I intend to lead this thing, I don't intend to give up and I don't intend to blink. This punishment must exist. Because whoever enters a house and killed the mother and father and murdered the children... shouldn't live, should die."

Prison Conditions

The minister highlighted deteriorating conditions for security prisoners as a deterrent: "Today terrorists don't want to enter prisons. Once they built on the 'all-inclusive hotel,' today they enter prisons, they tremble with fear... Once it was a summer camp, academic studies... aesthetic treatments. A female terrorist [blew herself up], her nose was damaged from the explosion, so you and I funded aesthetic treatment... I stopped these things one after another."

Allegations Against Legal Officials

Ben Gvir accused Deputy Attorney General Gil Limon of improper pressure: "We read last week that Gil Limon, who shouldn't be involved, deputy to the Attorney General, it turns out he's pressuring the police to finish the investigation as quickly as possible. What is this? This is a banana republic... This is a mafia, they behave like a mafia and this needs to stop."