Ben-Gvir's Party List Features Controversial Candidates with Extremist Ties

Itamar Ben-Gvir's "Otzma Yehudit" party submitted its list for the upcoming Knesset elections on September 7, featuring several controversial figures. Among the candidates are individuals with ties to banned extremist movements and a history of inflammatory public statements. Notably, the eighth spot on the list is occupied by Tzahi Eliyahu, an Otzma Yehudit activist whose arm reportedly bears a tattoo of the "Kach" movement, which is outlawed in Israel and designated as a terrorist organization by several countries. Eliyahu has also made provocative statements on social media, labeling "leftism" a "mental disorder" and vowing to outlaw the human rights organization "B'Tselem" if elected. He also expressed outrage over a peace dove ceremony in Kibbutz Nir Oz, particularly criticizing the participation of former Hamas hostage Gadi Moses.

The seventh position is held by Hanamel Dorfman, a 31-year-old lawyer and close associate of Ben-Gvir, who previously headed the National Security Minister's office. Dorfman has a history of controversial remarks, including calling the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin a "traitor" and suggesting Israel should "conquer Jordan." He has also faced scrutiny from the Police Internal Investigations Department (MAHASH) for alleged attempts to interfere with police investigations into nationalist crimes committed by Jews. One suspicion involved instructing officers not to confiscate a weapon from a settler who shot a Palestinian in Hawara in August 2024. Dorfman also reportedly sought access to police databases, claiming his actions were professional and related to policy formation.

Further connections to extremism include Dorfman's reported close friendship with Amiram Ben-Uliel, convicted for the 2015 arson attack that killed the Dawabshe family. Dorfman is also married to the daughter of Bentzi Gopstein, leader of the radical "Lehava" organization, whose wedding speech reportedly praised the Baruch Goldstein massacre. Earlier in his career, Dorfman was filmed urinating in public in front of police officers and was involved in an incident where right-wing activists confronted a military commander.

Additionally, the eleventh spot on the list is given to David Bavli, Ben-Gvir's legislative advisor, who was previously a suspect in a weapons licensing case that was subsequently closed. According to Ynet, the eighth position held by Eliyahu might be a "passing" spot based on some polls, a significant improvement from the previous election where Otzma Yehudit ran on a joint list with Religious Zionism, placing him too low to enter the Knesset.