UNRWA Lawyer Calls Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir 'Criminal Dog' in Supreme Court Clash

A rare and heated confrontation erupted in Israel's Supreme Court on Monday during hearings on petitions against the UNRWA law. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Knesset member Tali Gottlieb clashed with a lawyer representing UNRWA, who previously served as mayor of Tayibe. During the exchange, the lawyer insulted Ben-Gvir by calling him a "criminal dog" and disparaged Gottlieb as "simply pathetic." In response, Ben-Gvir and Gottlieb shouted back, demanding the lawyer leave and questioning his legal credentials, calling it a disgrace to the Israeli Bar Association.

The verbal altercation took place inside the courtroom amid discussions on the legislation aimed at ending UNRWA's operations in Israel and halting official cooperation with the organization. Ben-Gvir later emphasized the law's purpose to terminate UNRWA's presence in Israel and urged the Supreme Court to reject the petitions against it. He described the law as correcting a longstanding injustice and ending an absurd situation where Israel allowed UNRWA activities on its soil.

Ben-Gvir expressed hope that the Supreme Court would uphold the law, stressing its importance in changing policy that had persisted for years. The intense verbal exchange between elected officials and the UNRWA lawyer became one of the most notable moments of the hearing, highlighting the deep tensions surrounding the controversial legislation.