Turning his back on Ben Gvir: Baruch Marzel calls to vote for Smotrich

Baruch Marzel, formerly a close associate of Itamar Ben Gvir, published a video calling for a vote for Bezalel Smotrich in the upcoming elections, with a clear dig at Ben Gvir over his media conduct and ideological compromises.

Far-right activist Baruch Marzel, formerly a close associate of Itamar Ben Gvir and a co-founder of 'Otzma Yehudit', published a video calling for a vote for the Religious Zionism party led by Bezalel Smotrich. Marzel said that in previous elections he did not vote, but now he sees the election campaign as 'fateful' against those who want 'to destroy the Torah, the Land of Israel, and the People of Israel'. He praised Smotrich for acting 'without noise and fanfare', a clear dig at Ben Gvir's media conduct. The statement marks another peak in the distancing between the two, which began after Ben Gvir entered the government, with Marzel previously criticizing his moderation and ideological compromises.