Billionaire investor Bill Ackman, a prominent backer of Donald Trump, has said that far-right Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich should not serve in Israel's next government, ahead of Tuesday's election. His intervention lands as Israel heads to the polls with the far right projected to gain seats.

Several countries, including Britain, Canada and Australia, have imposed sanctions on the two ministers over accusations that they incited violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. Ben-Gvir's Jewish Power party is projected to win around 10 parliamentary seats at Tuesday's election, up from six, while Smotrich's Religious Zionism party is projected to win eight, up from seven, according to the Reuters report.

A push for a unity government

Nimrod Goren, president of the Israeli think tank Mitvim, said Ackman's statement appeared to reflect a desire among Trump's circles for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to drop his far-right allies after the vote and form a unity government with opposition parties. Trump publicly endorsed Netanyahu for prime minister last week. Ackman, who was visiting Israel last week, praised Netanyahu for protecting and defending Israel since the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack.

However, Gadi Eisenkot, the leading challenger to Netanyahu, and other opposition party leaders have ruled out forming a government with Israel's longest-serving prime minister. Thousands of Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv on Saturday calling for an independent inquiry into the attack that killed around 1,200 people. Ackman's statement therefore points to a coalition puzzle with no obvious solution, whichever way Tuesday's vote goes.

Source: Reuters, 25 October 2026.