Meir Kahane

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his wife Sara, Knesset Chairman Yuli Edelstein and Culture Minister Miri Regev attend a ceremony marking the 90th Anniversary of the 1929 Hebron riots, outside the Tomb of the Patriarchs in the West Bank city of Hebron, September 4, 2019. (Gershon Elinson/Flash90)

September 4, 2019, 6:43 pm

Likud minister, Knesset speaker call for extending Israeli sovereignty to Hebron

Netanyahu makes rare visit to volatile West Bank city, home to some 200,000 Palestinians and hundreds of Israeli settlers, to mark 90th anniversary of massacre

By TOI staff

Otzma Yehudit leader Itamar Ben Gvir defends his party at a Central Elections Committee debate on August 14, 2019. (Hadas Parush/Flash90)

August 14, 2019, 8:08 pm

Knesset panel narrowly okays election run by Otzma Yehudit as Labor rep vanishes

Bid to disqualify Kahanist party falls short after Labor leader’s brother-in-law disappears during vote, leaving committee tied 15-15; other left parties accuse Labor of betrayal

By Tamar Pileggi

Stav Shafir of the Democratic Camp party speaks during a Central Elections Committee debate about disqualification of the Otzma Yehudit party from the upcoming elections on August 14, 2019. (Hadas Parush/Flash90)

August 14, 2019, 5:23 pm

Head of extremist party to again sue left-wing MK for Hitler ‘comparison’

Itamar Ben Gvir wants half a million shekels from Stav Shaffir; committee debate on barring Otzma Yehudit from elections descends into shouting match

By TOI staff

(From L-R) Benzi Gopstein, Baruch Marzel and Michael Ben-Ari from the Otzma Yehudit Party speak with the media outside the Central Elections Committee in Jerusalem, on August 1, 2019. (Noam Revkin Fenton/Flash90)

August 13, 2019, 11:01 pm

AG calls for disqualifying extremist right candidates Gopstein, Marzel

But Avichai Mandelblit, in legal opinion, says no grounds to ban Otzma Yehudit’s Itamar Ben Gvir; dismisses claims against Blue and White, Joint List

By TOI staff

Extreme right politician Baruch Marzel at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem, February 17, 2015. (Hadas Parush/Flash90)

August 12, 2019, 11:50 pm

AG to urge disqualifying extremist right candidates Gopstein, Marzel

TV report says Avichai Mandelblit’s recommendation centers on the Otzma Yehudit leaders’ racist public statements

By TOI staff

From left to right: Otzma Yehudit members Baruch Marzel, Michael Ben Ari, Rabbi Dov Lior and Itamar Ben Gvir at the extremist party's campaign launch in Jerusalem on July 4, 2019. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

July 5, 2019, 10:22 am

At campaign launch, extremist Jewish party calls ‘to resettle our enemies’

Otzma Yehudit takes aim at URWP chief Rafi Peretz for reportedly conditioning its inclusion in electoral alliance on sidelining two of its members

By TOI staff

Union of Right Wing Parties candidates (from L-R) Rafi Peretz, Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich pose for a photo on April 9, 2019. (Courtesy)

June 20, 2019, 2:56 am

Far-right Otzma Yehudit accuses Jewish Home of not honoring election pact

Faction wants URWP leader Rafi Peretz, now appointed a minister, to give up his Knesset seat so that Itamar Ben Gvir can take his spot and become an MK

By TOI staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomes far-right Likud supporter Giora Ezra to the podium at a press conference, at the Prime Minister's Residence in Jerusalem, on April 1, 2019. (Hadas Parush/Flash90)

April 1, 2019, 9:12 pm

Not a bot: Netanyahu trots out homophobic Kahanist who called journalists ‘dogs’

Giora Ezra’s Twitter account reveals long history of insulting PM’s rivals, reporters, and public officials; disparaged former police chief as a ‘pillow-biter’

By Tamar Pileggi

Otzma Yehudit party members Michael Ben Ari, center, Itamar Ben Gvir, right, and Baruch Marzel, left, at a press conference in response to the Supreme Court decision to disqualify Ben Ari from running in the April 2019 elections over his record of racist incitement, in Jerusalem on March 17, 2019. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

March 18, 2019, 5:26 am

Extremist Otzma Yehudit demands top posts after leader banned from Knesset run

After court bars Michael Ben Ari, party demands ministerial spot for Baruch Marzel in next coalition, and that Itamar Ben Gvir head key Knesset committee

By TOI staff

Otzma Yehudit party members Michael Ben Ari (R), and Baruch Marzel (L) speak during a press conference held in response to the High Court decision to disqualify Ben Ari's candidacy for the upcoming Knesset elections, in Jerusalem on March 17, 2019 (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

March 17, 2019, 9:04 pm

High Court bars far-right party leader Ben Ari from running in elections

Marking first time individual candidate has been banned, justices prevent Otzma Yehudit chief from Knesset run; approve Arab slate, Jewish far-left candidate, and Otzma’s Ben Gvir

By TOI staff

Otzma Yehudit party members Michael Ben Ari (R) and Itamar Ben Gvir speak to the media after a Supreme Court hearing on whether to disqualify them from running in the upcoming elections on March 14, 2019. (Hadas Parush/Flash90)

March 15, 2019, 4:47 pm

Religious group calls on voters not to support Union of Right Wing Parties

Pamphlets from Lekhatchila to be distributed in synagogues, warning that votes for list that includes the extremist Otzma Yehudit will result in ’embarrassment’

By TOI staff

Otzma Yehudit party's Michael Ben Ari attends a hearing at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem on March 14, 2019, over a petition to disqualify him from running for a Knesset seat. (Gil Cohen-Magen/AFP)

March 14, 2019, 5:50 pm

At Supreme Court hearing, judge says Otzma Yehudit head’s racism ‘crystal clear’

At session on whether to bar extremist slate’s candidates, lawyer for Michael Ben Ari denies accusation, then says 99% of Arabs may be enemies; MK Smotrich spars with chief justice

By Michael Bachner and Jacob Magid

Otzma Yehudit leader Michael Ben Ari attends a Central Elections Committee meeting at the Knesset on March 6, 2019. (Noam Revkin Fenton/Flash90)

March 13, 2019, 10:06 pm

AG urges High Court to disqualify Ben Ari from elections over ‘extreme’ racism

Otzma Yehudit leader’s incitement isn’t ‘marginal,’ but rather ‘a defining expression of his identity as a candidate,’ Mandelblit tells court

By TOI staff

New Right party leader Naftali Bennett (right) and Benny Gantz, leader of the Blue and White party (composite image: Flash90)

March 13, 2019, 2:11 pm

‘Kahanist,’ ‘Hamas wet dream’: Gantz and Bennett trade insults

Blue and White party head slams New Right leader, saying he likened Supreme Court to terror group

By TOI staff

An Israeli votes at the settlement of Efrat on March 17, 2015. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty)

March 7, 2019, 3:42 pm

What Netanyahu’s election strategy says about how settlers vote

Premier is targeting residents across the Green Line generally drawn to national religious parties, while placing less focus on sizable secular and Haredi populations

By Jacob Magid