Coalition shelves plan to block terror convicts from running for Knesset amid concern it could impact Ben Gvir

The government has shelved plans to pass legislation to prevent those convicted of terror offenses from running for the Knesset amid concerns it could impact far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, the Kan public broadcaster reports.

According to the report, hardline Likud MK Nissim Vaturi on Sunday proposed the legislation, which aims to prevent anyone who has ever been involved in terrorist activity from seeking a Knesset seat, regardless of the severity of their punishment.

The proposal apparently received the support of Justice Minister Yariv Levin and other ministers.

The outlet says legal advisers noted that the law would also include Jewish Israelis who were convicted of terror and an aide to Ben Gvir realized that the legislation could therefore impact the leader of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party.

The aide reportedly recommended postponing the proposal for a few months, and Levin agreed that the discussion of the law could wait until the Knesset’s next session in the fall.

In 2008, the Jerusalem District Court convicted Ben Gvir of incitement to racism and supporting a terror organization over a placard he held reading “Arabs out” following a Palestinian terror attack in Jerusalem and anti-Arab signs he had in his car that referred to the far-right Kach movement, a Jewish group that was banned as a terror organization.

Ben Gvir has been indicted dozens of times, mostly for disturbing the peace, though he was exonerated in almost all the cases.