Itamar Ben-Gvir
National security minister; heads the Otzma Yehudit list
Itamar Ben-Gvir gets a C-
Score: 71 out of 100, the average of 7 measures. Graded on what Ben-Gvir has said and done, because we count recorded votes only for the US Congress. Every line is below, with its source.
- AIran: the regimeWith liberty, 1 source
- AIran: the peopleWith liberty, 1 source
- FMilitaryBoth ways, 2 sources
- ABordersWith liberty, 1 source
- AIslamizationWith liberty, 1 source
- FSecularismAgainst liberty, 1 source
- ?CapitalismNot clear either way, 1 source
- FFree speechBoth ways, 3 sources
Ben-Gvir, on the record
11 things Ben-Gvir has said and done. Each one has its source, and each is marked with the same test we use for votes in Congress. A line that does not settle the question is marked as not clear and counts for nothing.
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After the United States and Iran announced an agreement, he said as a member of the security cabinet that Israel was not a party to it and was not bound by it.
“My position is clear: we are not a party to this agreement, which does not look after our security, and it does not bind us in any way.”
In Hebrew:
עמדתי ברורה: איננו שותפים להסכם הזה שאיננו דואג לבטחוננו, והוא איננו מחייב אותנו בשום צורה.
- By the test we use for votes
- With liberty
Opposing a deal with Tehran is on the side of keeping pressure on the Islamic Republic.
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During street protests in Iran he published a post in Persian backing the demonstrators and ending with the words "We are with you!"
“The Iranian people deserve to be free, free of the murderous dictator Khamenei.”
- By the test we use for votes
- With liberty
He spoke up for Iranian protesters against their rulers.
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In the dispute over drafting Haredi men he told his party's Knesset members that he believes in full army service but not in forcing people to enlist, and that the first step should be benefits for those who serve.
“We believe in enlisting in the army, but not by coercion”
In Hebrew:
אנחנו מאמינים בגיוס לצבא, אבל לא בכפייה
- By the test we use for votes
- Against liberty
Rejecting compulsion in the draft is opposing conscription the army depends on, whatever his support for service by choice.
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Presenting his party's demands for the next government, he asked for the defence ministry for himself and set out a plan that includes raising soldiers' pay and giving combat soldiers free land.
- By the test we use for votes
- With liberty
Raising soldiers' pay is on the side of funding the armed forces.
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After ordering more prison cells for people who entered Israel illegally, he visited the prison and told migrants held there to return to their countries or stay locked up.
“We are adding more room for infiltrators. I think you need to be in prison.”
- By the test we use for votes
- With liberty
Detaining people who entered illegally and pressing them to leave is enforcing immigration law.
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He and his party asked the Central Elections Committee to bar the Islamic party Ra'am and its chairman Mansour Abbas from the 2026 election, saying Ra'am denies Israel as a Jewish state and that a charity tied to it moved money to terrorist organisations.
- By the test we use for votes
- With liberty
Acting to bar a party of the Islamic Movement from parliament is on the side of acting against such organisations.
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In an interview before the 2022 election he said marriage in Israel must stay under Jewish religious law and that he would not allow same-sex marriage or surrogacy for same-sex couples in law.
“My lines are a Jewish state. Marriages must be according to the law of Moses and Israel”
In Hebrew:
הקווים שלי הם מדינה יהודית. נישואים צריכים להיות כדת משה וישראל
- By the test we use for votes
- Against liberty
Keeping marriage under religious law and ruling out civil marriage puts a religion's rules into law.
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After long talks with the finance ministry his ministry won 4.5 billion shekels more for 2026, 3,000 new posts and about 1.5 billion shekels in pay rises for police, prison and fire staff, a deal people close to him called an important achievement.
- By the test we use for votes
- Not clear either way
A bigger police budget is not a tax rise, a price control or state ownership, so the line does not settle the measure.
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He signed an order closing the Jerusalem broadcasting centre of Voice of Palestine, the Palestinian Authority's official radio station, and banning its activity anywhere in Israel, accusing it of incitement.
“I will not accept and we will not allow incitement and support for terrorism and terrorists, neither by the Palestinian Authority nor by any other body.”
- By the test we use for votes
- Against liberty
A minister's order shutting a broadcaster is against free speech whoever the target is.
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He wrote to the police commissioner and the Tel Aviv district commander that the arrest of a Haredi man who held a sign reading "I protest" near the Tel Aviv pride parade broke the law and his own policy.
“This is a violation of the law and a violation of freedom of expression.”
- By the test we use for votes
- With liberty
He objected to police arresting a man for a lawful protest sign.
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At a police briefing at the Western Wall during Ramadan he praised the police fight against people he called inciters and said there was zero tolerance for PLO flags and for marches he described as supporting terrorism.
“We have zero tolerance for PLO flags and marches in support of terrorism.”
- By the test we use for votes
- Against liberty
Having police stop a flag and marches because of their message is the state banning speech.
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Itamar Ben-Gvir
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