Influence can be a good or a bad thing. Love him or hate him, and really, there’s no in-between, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has continued to make international headlines with his bold statements and less-than-stellar reputation.
However, Ben-Gvir’s far Right Otzma Yehudit party remains highly influential in the government and continues to maintain a steady constituency that will surely follow him to the next election and up the Temple Mount, if he so requests.
Ben-Gvir’s repeated trips to the Temple Mount sparked controversy throughout the year. The trips go against the status quo, which is aimed at maintaining religious balance and preventing conflict, and has been in existence since 1967. The Prime Minister’s Office has consistently issued statements that it remains unchanged, despite the visits, during which Ben-Gvir has stated that there is no status quo.
How has Israel changed with Itamar Ben-Gvir in power?
Ben-Gvir was first elected to the Knesset as part of the Religious Zionist Party list in 2021. He is also a lawyer and has represented a series of far Right Jewish activists under suspicion of terrorism and hate crimes. His Otzma Yehudit party won six seats in the 2022 election, and in that same year, he began serving as national security minister.
The numbers show that crime, especially organized crime in the Arab sector, has increased significantly with him as national security minister.
There was also a 15% increase in the loss of Arab lives in circumstances related to crime and violence in 2025, compared to the previous year.
Ben-Gvir has worked to advance gun reform that allows residents of additional cities and regional councils to be eligible for a private firearm licenses.
The gun reform has led to the issuance of approximately 230,000 new firearm licenses, his office stated in early September.
On an international level, Ben-Gvir’s controversial statements have led to multiple European countries declaring him persona non grata, a fact that hasn’t seemed to deter him.
“Don’t let me in... to those from Gaza, give them free entry to Spain,” Ben-Gvir wrote in response to Spain’s announcement that he had been barred from entering.
His reference to pushing Gazans toward emigration is one of many, as the minister continues to insist this is the true path to peace in the Middle East, even going as far as to resign in January when Israel accepted a hostage-ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
“The reckless approval of an agreement with the Hamas terror organization, which includes releasing hundreds of murderers with the blood of men, women, and children on their hands – some to Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria – represents a disgraceful surrender,” Otzma Yehudit had said, a sentiment that has been repeated several times since.
Two months after his registration, Ben-Gvir and his party returned to government after Israel renewed its strikes in the Gaza Strip. With the Otzma Yehudit Party back in the governing coalition, the government once again had a sizable voting majority, allowing it to pass the 2025 state budget proposal.
In addition to diplomatic actions and sanctions, Ben-Gvir’s statements have led to even more extreme moves against him, as Israel’s security forces have thwarted multiple assassination attempts against him.
According to Ben-Gvir, Hamas operatives have already tried to assassinate him five times.
“I will not be deterred and I will not be afraid! Hamas has already tried to eliminate me five times, and each time they failed,” the minister said in a video statement.
In an era in which political figures are increasingly defined by their ability to generate headlines rather than consensus, Ben-Gvir has mastered the art of wielding influence through disruption.
As Israel continues to navigate regional conflicts and internal divisions, Ben-Gvir’s role as both a governmental power broker and lightning rod for controversy ensures that his influence - for better or worse - will continue to reverberate far beyond Israel’s borders.