National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir Excludes Hadar Mukhtar from Otzma Yehudit List

Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's National Security Minister, informed social activist and former 'Burning Youth' party leader Hadar Mukhtar that she will not be placed on the Otzma Yehudit party list for the upcoming Knesset elections. Ben-Gvir expressed respect for Mukhtar and predicted a future for her in public roles but advised her to deepen her understanding of Knesset work and return better prepared in the future. Mukhtar gained public attention for her activism against the high cost of living and viral social media videos. In the last election, her party received only about 8,800 votes and failed to pass the electoral threshold. Afterward, she joined the Likud party and became active there.

Reports indicated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu considered granting Mukhtar a shortened eligibility period to run as a "new woman" candidate on the Likud list, despite her joining the party only a year ago. However, this move faced strong opposition from some Likud MKs, including Tali Gottlieb, who publicly opposed Mukhtar's inclusion and accused her of dishonesty regarding her personal housing situation. During the previous election campaign, it was revealed that although Mukhtar portrayed herself as struggling with housing costs, she was registered as owning an apartment in Haifa purchased by her parents, who subsequently paid the required taxes.

Currently serving in the Israel Defense Forces, Mukhtar recently announced switching to a kosher phone approved by the Rabbinical Communications Committee. Following Ben-Gvir's announcement, it remains to be seen whether Mukhtar will pursue entry into the Knesset through another party list or choose a different political path.