Trump Advisers Back Israeli Unity Cabinet Excluding Ben-Gvir and Smotrich

A group of advisers to President Donald Trump is promoting the formation of a broad, moderate Israeli unity government that would remove National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from the cabinet. The strategy aims to align Israel’s leadership with Washington’s diplomatic goals in the Middle East.

Bill Ackman, the billionaire head of the hedge fund Pershing Square, publicly championed this approach on social media on Sunday. Ackman argued that a moderate coalition would help Israel restore its international standing and expand the Abraham Accords. He stated that the presence of Ben-Gvir and Smotrich damages Israel’s global image and its ability to pursue key diplomatic objectives.

American officials believe that Trump’s remaining two years in office depend on a shift in Israel’s government composition. The primary objective is to advance a historic normalization deal with Saudi Arabia, which faces significant hurdles with the current hardline ministers in power. Riyadh has also demanded tangible progress on the Palestinian issue, a condition that changing coalition partners alone does not guarantee.

The proposed framework includes a rotation deal where Benjamin Netanyahu serves as prime minister for the first year. A different leader would then take over to negotiate with the Saudis before Trump’s term ends. Supporters of the plan argue this provides initial continuity while eventually handing regional diplomacy to a leader not tied to Netanyahu’s current partners. However, Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot and former prime minister Naftali Bennett have not been approached with this specific framework and remain opposed to serving under Netanyahu.

Tensions between Washington and Jerusalem are already evident. Special envoy Tom Barrick disagrees with Israel’s approach to Syria, while Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have expressed frustration over the pace of Netanyahu’s Gaza plan. Officials around Secretary of State Marco Rubio are also pressing for a stronger Lebanese government and greater action regarding Jewish violence in Judea and Samaria.

Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter confirmed that Netanyahu prefers a national unity government to his current coalition. Leiter noted that Netanyahu has indicated he would not serve as national security minister again. Otzma Yehudit officials reacted sharply to these reports, fearing a coalition that includes Eisenkot at their expense. Ben-Gvir countered by urging Netanyahu to form a right-wing government instead.

The political path remains complex. If Netanyahu’s bloc wins 61 mandates, he would likely have the first chance to form a government, but Eisenkot and Bennett may still refuse to join. Ultra-Orthodox parties are demanding passage of the conscription bill before coalition talks begin. Trump has not formally endorsed the initiative, having publicly backed Netanyahu on October 18, although Vice President JD Vance did not join that endorsement. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee denied any American effort to dictate Israeli politics, stating the administration does not intervene in elections.