Bill Ackman urges removal of Ben-Gvir and Smotrich from Israel's next cabinet

Bill Ackman, the billionaire behind Pershing Square Capital Management, used his X account to argue that Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich should not serve in Israel’s next administration, citing the damage their rhetoric and policies have inflicted on Israel’s standing in the United States. He suggested that excluding the two would convey that Israel is turning a new page, allowing it to rebuild lost credibility, broaden the Abraham Accords, and enjoy better ties with both Democrats and Republicans.

Ackman, who recently praised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and holds a 5% stake in the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, made the remarks during a visit to Israel, just days before a tightly contested election. The Jewish Power party and Religious Zionism are expected to increase their parliamentary seats, but their leaders have not commented on his criticism. International sanctions have already been imposed on the ministers by countries such as Britain, Canada and Australia for alleged incitement of violence. Analysts see Ackman’s comments as reflecting a broader desire among some U.S. political circles for Netanyahu to distance himself from his far-right allies.