Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once said that Itamar Ben Gvir was not fit to serve as a minister, citing his extremist record and convictions. Yet after later election victories, Netanyahu appointed him national security minister, placing him in charge of the police, border forces and prison service, despite longstanding concerns about his views and conduct.

The article argues that Ben Gvir has since damaged Israel’s security, internal cohesion and international standing. It accuses him of politicizing law enforcement, encouraging aggressive policing of protesters, mishandling crime in Arab communities and repeatedly provoking tensions at the Temple Mount.

Most recently, Ben Gvir visited detained activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla at Ashdod Port, waving an Israeli flag and taunting them in a scene he publicized himself. The display sparked international backlash and undercut government efforts to minimize friction surrounding the interception of the flotilla.

Although Netanyahu mildly criticized the incident, the article contends that he bears responsibility for empowering Ben Gvir and is unlikely to dismiss him because of political dependence on far-right support ahead of upcoming elections.