Israel's National Security Minister Defends 'Gallows Pin' Distribution to Students

Israel's Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, defended the distribution of "gallows pins" to students at a Herzliya high school, stating that such actions serve as a deterrent and reduce the number of attacks. Ben-Gvir made these remarks at a conference organized by Yedioth Ahronoth and Ynet, where he also discussed his earlier efforts to reduce provisions for Palestinian prisoners, asserting that "things start from the details." He claimed that enemies respect strength and "think a million times before carrying out an operation" when faced with it, citing his own experience of being targeted 11 times. The distribution of the pins, which depict a noose and symbolize the death penalty for terrorists, by a representative of Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit party, sparked controversy in Herzliya. Mayor Yair Fischer called the act "ugly and dangerous," a violation of educational, principled, and moral boundaries, and stated it would not be overlooked. Fischer noted that the school administration had previously forbidden the distribution, but the party representative proceeded anyway. The school collected the pins from students and decided not to invite the representative to future events. Otzma Yehudit responded by expressing pride in educating the youth about deterrence against terrorism, stating that terrorists who kill Jews "must die, without a doubt." The party asserted that the pin embodies the seriousness of their intentions regarding the death penalty law they enacted and that they remain at the forefront of combating terrorism.