From teenage provocateur to Israel's minister of national security: the rise of Itamar Ben-Gvir.
In short: Born in 1976, Itamar Ben-Gvir evolved from a fringe activist idolizing a convicted terrorist into a central figure in Israeli governance. As minister of national security, he has reshaped domestic policy, relaxed gun ownership laws, and navigated intense controversy, fundamentally altering the landscape of Israeli politics and policing.
Itamar Ben-Gvir’s political trajectory began during the first intifada, when he joined youth movements affiliated with the radical Kach party. Founded by Meir Kahane, the movement advocated for the removal of Palestinians from Israel and the occupied territories. Ben-Gvir’s early reputation as a provocateur was cemented in 1995 when he appeared on television brandishing a stolen Cadillac emblem from Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin’s car, threatening that he could reach the leader just as he had reached the vehicle. Rabin was assassinated three weeks later.
For years, Ben-Gvir maintained an overt admiration for Baruch Goldstein, the perpetrator of the 1994 Cave of Machpelah massacre. He kept a portrait of Goldstein in his home until 2020 and made annual pilgrimages to his grave. Despite these associations and dozens of indictments—including convictions for incitement to racism and supporting a terrorist organization—Ben-Gvir pursued a legal education at Ono Academic College. After a protracted battle with the Israel Bar Association, he eventually earned his law license, subsequently using his practice to represent Jewish extremists and far-right activists.
Since 2019, Ben-Gvir has led the Jewish Power party, eventually securing the position of minister of national security in 2022. His tenure has been marked by significant policy shifts, including the promotion of armed neighborhood watches and the relaxation of private gun ownership restrictions. He has faced criticism for politicizing the police force, particularly during the 2023 protests, while simultaneously overseeing a period where police action against settler violence reportedly declined. His controversial visits to the Temple Mount have further strained religious and political tensions, reflecting his long-standing commitment to the hard-line ideologies he adopted in his youth.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Itamar Ben-Gvir | Biography, Israel, Knesset, & Controversy | Britannica
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