Itamar Ben-Gvir

Itamar Ben-Gvir Hebrew: אִיתָמָר בֶּן גְּבִיר, born May 6, 1976 (age 47) is an Israeli conservative politician currently serving as the Israeli Minister of National Security. He is also a member of the Knesset, which is the unicameral legislature in Israel. He has been unfairly targeted as somehow being "far-right" by the left wing media. Ben-Gavir was born in Mevaseret Zion, which is part of the Jerusalem District. He has served in the Knesset since 2021. Originally a member of the Religious Zionist Party, he switched parties to the Otzma Yehudit in 2022.

According to the Times of Israel, Ben-Gvir justified spitting toward Christians as "an ancient Jewish custom". Rabbis and other Orthodox Jews were incensed by that claim.

Quotes

• "For every tear of an Israeli mother, a thousand Lebanese mothers should cry. All of Lebanon should burn! With all due respect to the Americans, Israel must make it clear to the entire world that the blood of our sons and the security of our citizens is not in vain. All of Lebanon should burn. Our supreme duty is to protect the citizens of Israel and the soldiers of the IDF, and this obligation takes precedence over any other consideration. I told the Prime Minister, even in our meetings: For every tear of an Israeli mother, a thousand Lebanese mothers should cry. Enough with the ping-pong. In the Middle East, you don't win with measured responses and containment - you have to go crazy. Erase. Defeat terrorism."