Itamar Ben-Gvir sparks controversy ahead of Israeli elections

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has drawn intense criticism following a series of provocative actions ahead of the upcoming Knesset elections. Ben-Gvir recently entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound under heavy security, an act condemned by the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a violation of the historical and legal status of Jerusalem.

In the prison system, eight Palestinian detainees at Lavi prison were placed in solitary confinement after authorities discovered they had used their limited food rations—including bread and jam—to bake a makeshift cake. The inmates intended to use the cake to celebrate the potential electoral defeat of Ben-Gvir. The minister publicly mocked the incident on social media, praising prison officials for intercepting the cake and using the event as a campaign tool for his Otzma Yehudit party.

Ben-Gvir has also called for the execution of Palestinian prisoners and the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority, labeling the latter as “Nazis.” These statements follow a Knesset law passed in March 2026 that expanded the application of the death penalty for terrorism-related offenses, a move that has faced legal challenges from human rights organizations.