Trump seeks to keep Ben-Gvir and Smotrich out of new Israeli cabinet

US President Donald Trump wants Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich excluded from Israel's next government, according to American sources speaking to Walla on Wednesday. The sources indicated that Trump views settler violence as a primary obstacle to his regional vision. He believes the actions of these far-right ministers are making it difficult to implement his diplomatic goals.

Israeli election results announced by the Central Elections Committee on Wednesday morning show a stalemate. With more than four million votes counted, Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc is projected to secure 54 seats in the Knesset. Likud is expected to take 27 of those seats. United Torah Judaism, Shas, and Otzma Yehudit are each projected to win seven seats, while the Religious Zionist Party is expected to claim six.

The opposition bloc, consisting of Yashar, B'Yachad, Yisrael Beytenu, and the Democrats, is projected to win 49 seats. Neither side has reached the 61 seats required for a majority. This leaves the formation of the next government uncertain. Exit polls suggest that Arab parties may hold the balance of power in deciding whether a coalition can be formed.

Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit and the alliance involving Smotrich's Religious Zionist Party and Zehut are projected to win approximately 13 seats combined. This makes them potential key partners for any Netanyahu-led coalition. The seat distribution remains preliminary until the official count is completed. Two parties, the Reservists' Party and People of Israel, failed to cross the electoral threshold in exit polls.

Ofer Winter, chairman of the Amcha Yisrael party, criticized Netanyahu after his party also missed the threshold. Sources close to Winter stated that Netanyahu "drained our votes" and called the decision a "strategic mistake." Meanwhile, celebrations were held at Likud headquarters following the release of the preliminary results.

Trump has not yet publicly commented on the election results, though his associates have been briefed. On Wednesday, he addressed the ongoing conflict with Iran. He stated that the war could end whenever he decides, noting, "It will end very quickly, but we have to make sure it ends the right way."

Trump said ending the war requires "an absolute and unequivocal declaration that they will never have nuclear weapons." He also identified Iran as "the number one state sponsor of terrorism in the world." The next step in the political process will depend on the final seat allocation and subsequent coalition negotiations.