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Itamar Ben Gvir

Israel’s far-right influencer Mordechai David speaks during an interview with AFP in Bnei Brak on September 3, 2026. (Jack Guez/AFP)
Profile
Yaelle Ifrah
Far-right online agitator Mordechai David, the new face of Israel’s political discourse
Ben Gvir ally blasts smartphone video to hundreds of thousands on social media, targeting everyone considered 'unpatriotic,' from an Arab Israeli TV anchor to the former Supreme Court chief
A convoy of supporters of the Islamist Ra'am party in southern Israel (L), and one of the alleged members of the convoy bound, on October 7, 2026. (X/Moshe Feiglin, X/Itamar Ben Gvir)
October 8, 2026, 6:13 am
Ben Gvir touts arrests of Ra’am biker convoy, claims scenes reminiscent of Oct. 7
Far-right minister posts photo of bound motorcyclist, doesn’t say how many arrested or what convoy was doing illegally; Feiglin says the mostly Arab party has same ideology, flag as Hamas
By Noam Lehmann
From left: Balad chairman Sami Abou Shehadeh, MK Ahmad Tibi and MK Ofer Cassif arrive at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem for a hearing on the Central Elections Committee’s decision to disqualify candidates and parties from running in the upcoming Knesset elections, October 1, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
October 2, 2026, 5:47 pm
Supreme Court unanimously overturns election panel’s ban on Arab parties
After rejecting Balad chief, judges say Ra’am, Joint List, its MK Ofer Cassif don’t meet criteria on racist incitement, support for armed conflict against Israel to warrant ban
By Jeremy Sharon and Noam Lehmann
Balad party head Sami Abou Shahadeh gestures in a video statement published on October 2, 2026. (Screen capture: Facebook/Sami Abou Shahadeh)
October 2, 2026, 12:45 pm
Balad party leader: Leaving campaign was ‘most difficult decision of my political career’
After Sami Abou Shahadeh withdraws from election race, Eisenkot offers mock condolences to Likud for loss of ‘true partner’; High Court was about to enforce ban on Arab party head due to his article seen as backing Oct. 7 attack
By ToI Staff
A hearing at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem on the Central Elections Committee’s decision to disqualify Arab parties and candidates from running in the upcoming elections, October 1, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
October 1, 2026, 5:47 pm
High Court urges Balad chairman to drop out of elections or face disqualification
Justices tell Sami Abu Shehadeh that majority support upholding his ban by Central Elections Committee; Ben Gvir, who sought disqualification, ally MK Gotliv, personally argue case in court
By Ariela Karmel and ToI Staff
Political correspondent Ariela Karmel appears on the Daily Briefing with host Jessica Steinberg (Flash 90)
October 1, 2026, 2:38 pm
Daily Briefing Oct. 1 – Flydubai attack becomes political fodder for candidates
Political correspondent Ariela Karmel discusses rhetoric in wake of copilot’s attack on Dubai flight, and High Court hearings on the disqualification of Arab parties ahead of the election
By Jessica Steinberg and Ariela Karmel
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf, and MK Yitzhak Kroizer visit the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem, on Jerusalem Day, May 26, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
September 30, 2026, 3:52 am
UAE slams Ben Gvir’s Temple Mount visit, days after hosting Netanyahu in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi decries ‘systematic extremist campaign that… threatens social peace, and risks further escalation’; Iran warns Emiratis of ‘highly dangerous consequences’ after PM’s trip
By ToI Staff
Bono attends the “GUGGI” premiere at SVA Theatre during the Tribeca Festival on June 13, 2026, in New York. (Andy Kropa/Invision/AP)
September 29, 2026, 11:25 pm
U2’s Bono compares Ben Gvir to Nazi SS chief Himmler over his comments on Gaza
In Rolling Stone interview, Irish rockstar says he ‘has stood by Israel,’ but Ben Gvir’s ‘outrageous’ remarks on Palestinians have put Judaism ‘in the shade’
By ToI Staff
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir seen berating Hassan Salamah, a Hamas terrorist jailed for orchestrating a pair of 1996 Jerusalem bus explosions that killed 45 people, in a video posted to social media on September 27, 2026. (Screenshots/Itamar Ben Gvir via X)
September 28, 2026, 6:59 am
‘I want to kill you’: Ben Gvir films himself berating terrorist behind deadly 1996 bus bombings
Police minister boasts of making Hamas member Hassan Salamah’s life ‘hell,’ amid a series of videos of him bragging about worsening conditions for Palestinian security inmates
By Noam Lehmann and ToI Staff
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses a press conference in Tel Aviv on July 13, 2024, during the ongoing war in Gaza between Israel and the Hamas terror group. (Nir Elias / Pool / AFP)
September 27, 2026, 2:31 pm
Netanyahu’s narrative of ignorance on October 7 is rapidly unraveling
New reports detailing warnings conveyed by Egypt and the UAE before the massacre shatter PM’s claim the security establishment kept him in the dark; if anything, it was the other way around
By Amir Bar Shalom
Neria Leiter (Courtesy)
September 23, 2026, 7:09 pm
Son of Israel’s US envoy, a soldier, seriously hurt in car-ramming attack in West Bank; assailant shot dead
Separately, commandos arrest PA colonel for allegedly advancing terror activities; 2 Palestinians charged for allegedly planning to assassinate Ben Gvir and carry out terror attacks
By Emanuel Fabian, Nava Freiberg, Noam Lehmann and Jeremy Sharon
National Security Minister and Otzma Yehudit party chairman Itamar Ben Gvir and fellow party member Tali Gotliv hold a press conference in Jerusalem, September 22, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
September 23, 2026, 1:31 am
Ben Gvir demands role of defense minister in next government, Gotliv as justice minister
Otzma Yehudit chair unveils plans to ‘encourage’ Palestinians to leave Gaza and West Bank, fire attorney general, loosen constraints on military and radically weaken judiciary
By Ariela Karmel and ToI Staff
Political correspondent Ariela Karmel joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today's Daily Briefing podcast. (ToI/Flash90)
September 15, 2026, 2:12 pm
Daily Briefing Sept. 15: How upstart parties could determine the Israeli election
Political correspondent Ariela Karmel on finalization of the candidate slates, attempted use of the High Court to ban parties from running, and strategic use of the word ‘leftist’
By Amanda Borschel-Dan and Ariela Karmel
Itamar Ben Gvir (left) and Yair Golan. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90, Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
September 15, 2026, 12:44 am
Democrats seek to bar Otzma Yehudit from election as polls show continued deadlock
Left-wing party accuses Ben Gvir’s slate of racism and of eroding state institutions; far-right party responds in kind, with both efforts unlikely to succeed; Yashar No. 2 floats coalition with Smotrich, post-Netanyahu Likud
By Ariela Karmel and ToI Staff
An illustrative combination displaying, left to right, UAE president Mohammed bin Zayed, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the now-deceased Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar (MAHMUD HAMS/AFP, Mandel NGAN/AFP, JOE RAEDLE/Getty Images via AFP)
September 10, 2026, 1:18 pm
Arab warnings to Netanyahu ahead of Oct. 7 massacre shatter his core political defense
PM’s threat to sue for libel cannot mask the growing evidence that he was alerted to an impending Hamas attack; warnings also raise questions about whether Sinwar wanted Israel to know what was coming
By Amir Bar Shalom
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar speaks during a joint press conference with Slovenia’s foreign minister (not pictured) prior to the opening of Israel’s embassy in Slovenia, in Ljubljana on September 9, 2026. (Martin Metelko/AFP)
September 10, 2026, 12:12 am
Israel has no plans ‘to expel or to deport’ Palestinians from Gaza, Sa’ar says
Speaking at embassy opening in Slovenia, FM says those who want to leave war-torn Strip can, but no one will be forced out
By Lazar Berman
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