Israel approves Ben-Gvir's "national guard," but limits its authority

 

Itamar Ben-Gvir, the far-right security director, requested a national guard on Sunday to concentrate on Arab disturbances, but Israel approved it without granting him full leadership because of concerns from political competitors that the force might turn into a sectarian "militia." Following pro-Palestinian demonstrations in mixed Jewish-Arab neighbourhoods during the Gaza War in May 2021, the prior administration started establishing an auxiliary police force to combat domestic unrest. Before the new army was fully formed, that administration was toppled. The turmoil of 2021 contributed to Ben-Gvir's rise in politics. He is a hard-line Jewish settler in the occupied West Bank with prior sentences for supporting terrorism and inciting hatred of Arabs, who make up 21% of Israel's population.

After renouncing some of his opinions, he joined Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's alliance with an enlarged law-and-order portfolio, promising to include a strengthened national guard for use primarily in Arab areas that have experienced crime and rioting. It will only address this, she said. The cops are not the only ones who contend with this. He said to Army Radio, "It's bustling with a thousand and one tasks. The project gained momentum last week when Netanyahu decided to submit Ben-Gvir's national guard for cabinet approval after the security minister supported his decision to postpone a plan for a judicial overhaul that had sparked widespread demonstrations.