American Israelis are supporting Ben Gvir. Here’s why

Pray for the well-being of Yerushalayim; “May those who love you be at peace.

Psalms

122:

6

(the israel bible)

October 27, 2022

5 min read

The controversial head of the Otzma Yehudit party, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has been making headlines around the world. In Israel, a growing group of American Israelis say they are checking him out and considering voting for him on November 1.

Ben Gvir is running with the Religious Zionist party, which is polling at as many as 14 seats, which would make it the third largest party in the Knesset, only under Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud and Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid. 

The National Unity party headed by Benny Gantz is only polling at 12 seats.

If the surveys are at all accurate – in previous elections they have been quite off – then Netanyahu would be tasked with forming a government. It is likely that to close a right-wing coalition, Netanyahu will need the Religious Zionist list and Ben Gvir.

Ben Gvir was in the spotlight in the previous election, too, but he was considered a pariah and untouchable even by most of the Right because of racist statements he had made. His incitement on the Temple Mount and outspoken attitude toward the Palestinian and Israeli Arab population have led to death threats by Hamas and forced Israel Police to incrase his security detail.

Two Democrat American lawmakers even warned Netanyahu that forming a coalition that included Ben Gvir could endanger Israel’s relationship with the United States.

WHO IS BEN GVIR?

Ben Gvir was raised in a secular home. As a teenager, he became religious. During the first intifada, he moved to the right and became a follower of Rabbi Meir Kahane, the founder of the Kach party. 

He became a youth coordinator for the party at the age of 14. Four years later, the IDF exempted him from service due to his “extreme political views.” In the 1990s, he was active in protesting the Oslo Accords. In 2015, he claimed to have been indicted 53 times. In most cases, the charges were thrown out of court.

Eventually he studied law and was granted the right to take the bar exam. He went on to represent several controversial Jewish activists, including two of the individuals accused of perpetrating the Duma arson attack that killed two Palestinians.

BEn Gvir has also called for the expulsion of Arabs from Israel.

However, in recent years, he has changed his mantra only to call for the expulsion of terrorists and not all Arabs.

“I can’t say I haven’t changed, maybe mellowed,” Ben Gvir told Israel365 News in a recent interview. “Itamar at 46 years old is not the Itamar at 16 years old. But my basic principles remain unchanged and uncompromised. I love Israel. I always have and I always will. 

“When I was young,” he continued, “I shouted that we should kick out all of the Arabs. I don’t believe that anymore. But I do think that anyone who lives in this country should obey the laws. I still think terrorists have no place in this country, even more than I did when I was young.”

Ben Gvir is also known for hanging a photo of Baruch Goldstein in his home. Goldstein was a Jewish American resident of Hebron who massacred 29 Palestinians who were praying in the Cave of the Patriarchs in 1994 before being beaten to death. Ben Gvir removed the photo in 2020.

Our Tanach [Bible] teaches us that we are from here, we have come back to our land,” Ben Gvir told Israel365. “I am not a racist, I do not hate Arabs, I hate terrorists.”

He added, “my vision is a proud, strong Jewish state. I have no problem with our minorities—provided they are law-abiding citizens—but I do have a problem with those who raise a hand against our police and soldiers.”

Ben Gvir claims that an anti-Jihadist policy would serve all Israelis, including Arab citizens of Israel. 

He also advocates for Jewish prayer at the site, claiming that a Muslim monopoly is a racist policy. Prime Minister Yair Lapid recently reaffirmed that he opposes Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount.

 

ANGLOS AND ITAMAR

Ben Gvir does not speak English but he is becoming increasingly popular among American ex-patriots. In response, Yishai Fleisher, the international spokesman for the Jewish Community in Hebron, has joined his campaign team.

Fleisher responded to critics of Ben Gvir’s campaign.

“The media and critics are targeting the supporters of Ben Gvir,” Fleisher told Israel365 News. “How can you demonize and criminalize millions of Israeli voters who want a center-right government? The reporting has been completely partisan, delegitimizing the third most important party in Israel. These are Israelis who are concerned with security. They label these voters as terrorists because they oppose terrorism.”

“The media has disregarded the expressed needs of these Israelis,” Fleisher said.

Fleisher explained why he thought Ben Gvir appealed to American Israelis.

“We left a perfectly good country to live in a Jewish state,” Fleisher said. “We love the Jewish state and don’t want to see it become a third-world corrupt state that encourages and rewards terrorism with protection money.”

“Ben Gvir is passionate about this, so he appeals to the Americans here.

Rabbi Yehuda Levi, Co-founder of High on the Har and Director of Outreach for Yeshivat Har Habayit, is also a strong supporter of Ben Gvir.

“On a personal level, Ben Gvir appeals to Americans who have made aliyah for religious purposes. These are Jews who want to see a strong and secure Israel strongly rooted in Judaism. People who left America for Israel did so for religious reasons. They believe that the place for all Jews is in the land of Israel.”

According to Rabbi Levi, when these Americans move to Israel, “they see a government that is trying to erode kashrut, marriage, and religious life values, while taking away our religious freedom.” 

“This is not the culmination of what we dreamed of,” he said. “ We gave up so much to live here and realize this dream. Did we give up America just to pay higher property taxes and prices? We went through sacrifices in order to live in the land that God set aside for us.”

Rabbi Levi said that if the right-wing parties, and primarily Itamar Ben Gvir, have been championing their dream of Israel as a Jewish state. 

“It is sad to say but not even the Haredi parties are doing this,” he added.

Dr. Melissa Jane Kronfeld made aliyah from New York five years ago and is working on Ben Gvir’s campaign. 

“Itamar represents the foundational principles that Israel was built on; our faith and our Zionism” she told Israel365 News. “Israel is a democracy but we cannot forget our unique status as the Jewish state. Israel cannot exist unless our core values are upheld.”

“Itamar is the leader we need for these difficult times we are living through right now. Democracy can only survive when the best of us stand up and bear the mantle of leadership. Itamar is committed to the land of Israel and the Jewish people. His principles are unwavering. He wants to see a prosperous and secure future for Israel. He accepts his chosenness and wants Israel to function as a light unto the nations.”

“I don’t know what can be more democratic than that,” she said. “When he becomes part of the next government, it will be proof of democracy functioning at its very best.”

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