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From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
UN human rights chief says Ben Gvir’s noose birthday cake is ‘despicable’
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleJacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
Left: A large birthday cake featuring a golden noose and guns is presented to National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir at his 50th birthday party, on May 2, 2026. Right: Ayala Ben Gvir gives her husband a second, smaller birthday cake, also featuring a noose, on May 2, 2026. (Screenshot: Itamar Ben Gvir via Instagram)
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk says he is “disgusted” by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir being photographed at his birthday party over the weekend with a cake from his wife with a noose on it symbolizing the death penalty law he managed to pass through the Knesset.
“Celebrating executions is despicable. The Israeli government must urgently repeal its discriminatory death penalty law,” Turk tweets.
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