Israeli far-right politician plans to join new alliance

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25th Nov, 2022. 09:08 pm
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Itamar Ben-Gvir, its leader, will take over as minister of national security.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party gained majority in recent elections.
Negotiations with other potential coalition partners are continuing.

A coalition agreement between Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party and Israel’s extreme right-wing Jewish Power party has been inked.

Itamar Ben-Gvir, its leader, will take over as minister of national security as a result of the agreement.

The ultra-nationalist politician has a history of racism convictions and is well-known for his anti-Arab remarks.

After Likud and its far-right and religious allies gained a majority in an election earlier this month, Mr. Netanyahu made a stunning return.

“We took a big step tonight toward a full coalition agreement, toward forming a fully, fully right-wing government,” Mr. Ben-Gvir said in a statement after the deal was agreed.

Negotiations with other potential coalition partners are continuing.

In Israel, Mr. Ben-Gvir is a contentious character. He was a supporter of the late Meir Kahane, an ultra-nationalist who was openly racist and whose organisation was outlawed in Israel and labelled a terrorist organisation by the US.

He has previously demanded the deportation of anybody deemed to be “disloyal.”

He has made an effort to reinvent himself as a more traditional politician, although he still adopts a very strict stance on security matters.

Israeli military incursions in the occupied West Bank have killed Palestinian militants and civilians, contributing to the rising animosity between Israelis and Palestinians this year. Israelis have also been the victim of gun and knife attacks.

A kid was killed and 14 people were hurt in two alleged bombings on Jerusalem bus stations on Wednesday. Mr. Ben-Gvir went to the location of the initial explosion.

“Even if it’s in the West Bank, lay siege to them and go from house to house in search of guns and restore our deterrence power,” he said during the visit.

With the election, Israel’s unheard-of political impasse came to an end. It had started in 2019, when Mr. Netanyahu, the country’s prime minister at the time, was accused of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. He rejects the charges.

The government was eventually overthrown by him in 2021 after 12 years of his leadership, despite his earlier assurance that “We’ll be back!”

Just over a year later, he appears to have kept his word because he and his associates in politics were able to secure a convincing majority.

The exact composition of his government is still uncertain, though, as coalition negotiations are still going on.

Israeli far-right politician plans to join new alliance

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