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Otzma Yehudit, also known as Jewish Power, is an Israeli far-right, ultranationalist, and Kahanist political party that serves as the ideological successor to the outlawed Kach party founded by Rabbi Meir Kahane in the 1970s. Established on November 13, 2012, the party is currently led by Itamar Ben-Gvir, a controversial lawyer and activist known for his anti-Arab rhetoric and past convictions for incitement to racism. Otzma Yehudit advocates for extreme Jewish supremacist views, including the annexation of the West Bank, expulsion of Arabs deemed disloyal to Israel, enforcement of Jewish law, death penalties for terrorists, and demolition of unauthorized Arab structures. The party promotes a Jewish state without equal rights for non-Jews and has deep roots in Kahanism, which was banned in Israel in 1988 and designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. in 1994 following the Cave of the Patriarchs massacre by Kach member Baruch Goldstein.
Early leadership included Michael Ben-Ari, a former Kach activist, and the party initially struggled electorally, failing to cross the 3.25% threshold in the 2013 Knesset elections. In 2019, it allied with the Jewish Home and Tkuma parties to form the Union of Right-Wing Parties, securing three seats. The party achieved a breakthrough in the 2022 elections by winning six seats independently and joining Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government, with Ben-Gvir appointed as Minister of National Security, overseeing police and settlement policies.
Otzma Yehudit has faced intense scrutiny and controversy for its extremist ideology and ties to banned groups. In 2014, Israeli police raided its offices due to shared location with Lehava, an anti-assimilation organization accused of inciting violence. The party has been criticized internationally and domestically for promoting racism, with figures like Ben-Gvir displaying portraits of Baruch Goldstein and supporting vigilante actions in Arab communities. Despite repeated attempts by Israel's Central Elections Committee to disqualify it for supporting terrorism, the party has been allowed to run, sparking debates about free speech versus hate promotion in Israeli democracy. Its rise to governmental power has heightened concerns about the mainstreaming of Kahanist ideas and potential erosion of minority rights.