National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir Faces Ethics Scrutiny Over Social Media Promotions

Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's National Security Minister, has once again come under fire for violating ethics rules by promoting commercial ventures on his official social media channels. A recent video posted on the official accounts of the Otzma Yehudit party featured Ben-Gvir and his wife, Ayala, at a wig salon owned by Ayala Elharar, the wife of Ben-Gvir's communications advisor. The post raised questions among viewers about the appropriateness of a public official endorsing a private business, especially on official party platforms.

This incident follows a similar ethics complaint filed against Ben-Gvir just two months ago, when he promoted an amusement park in a video that appeared on both the party's and the park's social media accounts. The Knesset Ethics Committee ruled that this constituted improper commercial promotion, resulting in a formal reprimand for Ben-Gvir. The committee emphasized that members of the Knesset are prohibited from sponsoring or promoting commercial entities.

Ben-Gvir's social media activity has repeatedly breached campaign laws, including the use of security forces and facilities as backdrops for political advertising, which led to fines and the removal of several videos by the Central Elections Committee. Given the recurrence of these violations, the Ethics Committee is expected to impose harsher sanctions this time. The ongoing controversy highlights tensions between Ben-Gvir's political role and his conduct as a social media influencer.