Herzog’s statement was picked up by a microphone he apparently thought was off as he held consultations with an ultra-Orthodox political party about the next government, expected to be led by former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu after his right-wing coalition won last week. election. “You have a partner that the whole world around us is worried about. I’ve told him that too. This really isn’t for publication. I don’t want to cause problems,” Herzog said on a live microphone for Ben-Gvir at the end of the meeting. “You’re going to have trouble with the Temple Mount. This is a critical issue,” Herzog said, referring to a holy site in Jerusalem known to Muslims as the al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Ben-Gvir, who was convicted in 2007 of racist incitement against Arabs and supporting a group considered a terrorist organization by Israel and the United States, supports Jewish prayer at the holy site, challenging the historical status quo. Herzog’s office later said the president had discussed those concerns directly with Ben-Gvir. Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, was caught on microphone saying “the whole world is worried” about Itamar Ben-Gvir’s far-right views. Photo: Reuters A representative for Ben-Gvir did not immediately respond to a request for comment. According to local media, Ben-Gvir said he had “many fruitful talks” with the president and that he intends to explain his party’s positions. The ultra-nationalist politician – who wants to become police minister – has raised the alarm among Israel’s Palestinians and Arab neighbors who fear his joining the government could inflame tensions in the Middle East. Last week’s election saw Netanyahu end a deadlock after five elections in less than four years. Along with smaller far-right and religious parties, the Likud party received 64 seats in the 120-seat parliament, giving Netanyahu a solid majority and easing the process of forming a government. Ben-Gvir’s party, the Religious Zionists, doubled the number of seats it holds in the Knesset to 14 in last week’s election. Their success was credited with bolstering support for Netanyahu’s far-right bloc in parliament. The new government is likely to be one of the most right-wing in the state’s history. The president’s consultations with the political parties will continue in the coming days. He will use a candidate to form a government on Sunday, his office said.
