How a fringe Kahanist movement transformed into a significant force in Israeli parliamentary politics.
In short: Otzma Yehudit, a far-right party rooted in the ideology of the outlawed Kach movement, has navigated years of electoral failure to secure a foothold in the Knesset. By shifting alliances and leveraging strategic political partnerships, this ultranationalist group evolved from an isolated activist faction into a mainstream governing partner.
Founded in November 2012 as Otzma LeYisrael by Aryeh Eldad and Michael Ben-Ari, the party emerged from the National Union as a self-described Kahanist, ultranationalist entity. Its ideological lineage traces back to the Kach movement, which was banned in Israel. From its inception, the party advocated for the annexation of the West Bank, the imposition of Israeli sovereignty over the Temple Mount, and the deportation of those it classifies as enemies of Israel. Critics, including sociologist Eva Illouz, have frequently labeled the organization as a Jewish supremacist or fascist group, characterizations the party disputes.
For much of its early history, the party struggled to gain traction. It failed to cross the electoral threshold in 2013, 2015, 2019, and 2020. During these years, it relied on extra-parliamentary activism, such as organizing marches in Arab-majority cities, using drones to document stone-throwing incidents in the West Bank, and distributing flyers urging Arab residents to leave the region. These activities often led to legal challenges and police interventions, including a 2014 raid on offices shared with the anti-assimilation group Lehava.
The party's breakthrough arrived through strategic political maneuvering. In 2021, a deal brokered by Benjamin Netanyahu facilitated a joint ticket with the Religious Zionist Party and Noam, which helped leader Itamar Ben-Gvir secure a seat. By the 2022 elections, the party had gained enough momentum to win six seats independently within a broader alliance. This shift brought the party into the heart of Israeli governance, leading to its first coalition agreement with Likud in November 2022. Despite internal volatility—including temporary departures from the government during the Gaza war in 2025—the party remains a distinct, influential, and controversial presence in the Knesset, continuing to push for policies like restrictions on mosque loudspeakers and the expansion of Jewish settlements.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Otzma Yehudit
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