A Few Minutes with… Itamar Ben-Gvir  

Israel’s controversial Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir toured the United States last week, aiming to allow American Jews to meet “the real Ben-Gvir, and not the character sold to them by the left-wing media,” as he puts it.

On his first trip to North America, the leader of the national-religious party Otzma Yehudit made full use of the opportunity, visiting Florida, New York, and Connecticut. As we spoke, he was preparing for a stop in Washington, D.C. In addition to visiting various Jewish communities, he was received at Mar-a-Lago by Republican lawmakers, led by GOP House Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota. However, his visit grabbed media attention after a confrontation with pro-Palestinian protesters at Yale University. He reportedly cut his tour short and returned to Israel on Tuesday in advance of Yom Hazikaron.

A few hours before he spent Shabbos in the Five Towns, Mishpacha caught up with Ben-Gvir for a brief but wide-ranging conversation. He spoke openly about his admiration for Donald Trump, his frustration with media portrayals, and his willingness to once again leave the Israeli government if future hostage negotiations cross red lines he deems unacceptable.

What was the purpose of your trip to the United States?

The main reason for the trip was for people to get to know me. Many Jews in the United States don’t really know who I am. They’ve just heard my name, and the left-wing media in Israel generally doesn’t tell the full story. I wanted to meet people, to let them see me, hear from me directly. And I must say, the meetings have been spectacular — very successful conversations. I wanted to give people the opportunity to know me, to listen to my story.

Alongside that, I’m also holding meetings with members of Congress, senators, and government officials. I’ve visited some prisons in the United States, and I have to say, we have a lot to be proud of when it comes to our prisons in Israel, especially considering the changes that took place under my watch. I’ve visited several police stations, too. It’s a very important visit.

Your visit made headlines mainly because of the protests against you at Yale University. Can you tell us what happened there?

[Chuckles] It’s funny. They always report the protests but never the thousands of hugs, the overwhelming support I’ve received. They don’t report that when I visited 770 [the Lubavitch headquarters], I was welcomed with a standing ovation. They also don’t tell you that at Yale itself, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach — a truly righteous man — organized an incredible event with over a hundred students, professors, and intellectuals, all of whom expressed how significant that meeting was.

That’s not the story the media wants to tell. They prefer to focus on the few pro-Arab students who threw water bottles. But let me be clear: That won’t make me abandon my truth or change my worldview. They don’t scare me. Actually, I think the students who participated in those demonstrations should be expelled from the university.