Israel’s far-right Ben Gvir seeks new ground in election
Itamar Ben Gvir's divisive influence shows no sign of waning, with polls projecting his Otzma Yehudit party to win eight or nine of parliament's 120 seats.
Israel's far-right national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir is making a strong push during his election campaign, distributing gun-shaped keychains to high school students and releasing a video threatening to kill a Palestinian inmate. Ben Gvir's policy proposals include advocating for Palestinians to leave the West Bank and Gaza, as well as enforcing the death penalty on Palestinians convicted of attacks against Israelis.
His Otzma Yehudit party is projected to secure eight or nine seats in Israel's 120-member parliament, marking its first time winning a mandate as a standalone entity, up from six seats in 2022 when they ran on a joint list. Ben Gvir, convicted multiple times in Israeli courts, has gained significant influence since joining Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition four years ago.
As a national security minister, he has facilitated over 200,000 Israelis obtaining firearms and has criticized the conditions of Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails. The upcoming election, on October 27, is expected to be close, with many young Israelis, who are predominantly center-right or right-wing, set to cast their first votes.
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