Israel: Far-right Ben-Gvir to be national security minister

Israeli Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu's conservative party Likud announced on Friday signing its first coalition deal with the far-right Otzma Yehudit, or "Jewish Power" Party in English.

Under the deal, Otzma Yehudit's anti-Arab leader Itamar Ben-Gvir is to become the next national security minister, giving him control over Israeli police. 

Likud said the current Ministry of Internal Security would be renamed the Ministry of National Security and would be given expanded powers. The move comes after Likud and its religious and far-right allies emerged victorious from Israel's November 1 election, after nearly four years of political instability. 

Coalition negotiations with other right-wing and religious parties are still underway.

"We took a big step tonight toward a full coalition agreement toward forming a fully, fully right-wing government," Ben-Gvir said in a statement.

The sensitive role of the national security minister going to Ben-Gvir is raising fears of inflaming tensions with Palestinians and Israel's Arab minority due to his extremist views. 

Who is Ben-Gvir?

The media-savvy lawyer and politician has risen from the fringes of Israeli politics to make headlines across Israeli and international media for his anti-Palestinian speeches and stunts. 

Before becoming a lawyer, Ben-Gvir was indicted and convicted of inciting racism. He was exempted from military service because of his extremist views. 

Ben-Gvir has been a vocal supporter of the late Meir Kahane, a former Israeli lawmaker who was assassinated in New York in November 1990 and whose party was banned in Israel in the 1990s. Meir Kahane's party is also branded as a terrorist organization in the United States. 

How have the Palestinians reacted?

Following Friday's announcement, the Palestinian Authority's Foreign Affairs Ministry said the appointment of Ben-Gvir would have a "potentially catastrophic impact on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."

In a statement, the ministry warned that Israeli coalition agreements with "fascists like Ben-Gvir and his supporters" could hinder the revival of peace talks. 

The agreement comes just days after a suspected Palestinian attack in Jerusalem killed an Israeli teenager and injured at least 14 others.

It also comes following months of tensions in the occupied West Bank, where Israeli forces launched a crackdown following a spate of attacks in Israel by Palestinian militants. 

fb/ar (AP, Reuters)