Itamar Ben Gvir: How the man keeping Netanyahu in office rose to power

Itamar Ben Gvir: How the man keeping Netanyahu in office rose to power Submitted by Nadav Rapaport on Fri, 06/19/2026 - 18:09 Notorious for provocative rhetoric and overseeing brutal treatment of Palenstinian prisoners, he has been able to galvanise supporters on the far right Itamar Ben Gvir, pictured here on 6 October 2022, is pivotal to the chances of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government staying in power after this year's general election (AFP) On Itamar Ben Gvir was once regarded as too extreme for the Israeli political mainstream. But the former youth activist has surged in popularity during the past decade to become the country’s national security minister and one of the best known figures in the country. Since the start of the genocide in Gaza in 2023, his reputation has spread worldwide, driven by incendiary actions and rhetoric against Palestinians and their supporters.