Israel Election 2026: What does Itamar Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit stand for?

Otzma Yehudit, founded in 2012, is known as one of the far-right parties in Israel's political spectrum and is currently led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. The party, also known as "Jewish Power," has its roots in Rabbi Meir Kahane's movement and ran jointly with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionist Party and Noam in the 2022 election, securing six seats out of 14.

For the upcoming 2026 election, Ben-Gvir has decided to run independently from Smotrich due to their differing appeal to electorates.

The party's candidate list, finalized in September, includes Ben-Gvir, Tally Gotliv (a former Likud MK), Yitzhak Wasserlauf, Amichai Eliyahu, Limor Son Har-Melech, Yitzhak Kreuzer, Hanamel Dorfman, and Tzahi Eliyahu. Otzma Yehudit is currently projected to secure between eight and ten seats in the 26th Knesset.

Ben-Gvir's political stance emphasizes Israel's immediate security environment, with Gaza, terrorism, and Israeli control over security policy as central issues. The party's platform promotes a more aggressive military response to terrorism, advocating for complete military victory over Hamas and opposing ceasefires or hostage agreements. Additionally, Otzma Yehudit pushes for voluntary emigration of Gaza residents, Israeli control over the West Bank, and opposition to Palestinian statehood.

Beyond security matters, Otzma Yehudit has also sought to strengthen its political influence by supporting the government's judicial reform, which introduced changes to the justice system, including selecting judges and greater political influence over judicial appointments.