Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir wrapped up a weeklong trip to the United States on Monday with meetings on Capitol Hill, where he sat down with four Republican members of Congress. His visit was marked by warm receptions from some lawmakers and sharp confrontations with protesters in the halls of Congress.
Ben-Gvir met with Representatives Jim Jordan of Ohio, Claudia Tenney of New York, Mike Lawler of New York, and Brian Mast of Florida. According to his office, discussions covered President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza, the death penalty for terrorists, and freedom of worship on the Temple Mount. “I didn’t ask them afterward whether they’ll vote for Ben-Gvir, but they wanted to get to know me and I think they really liked what they heard,” Ben-Gvir told reporters.
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No photographs of the meetings were posted by the lawmakers on social media. Meanwhile, left-wing and Muslim protesters, including activists from Code Pink and the Council on American-Islamic Relations, confronted Ben-Gvir, shouting accusations of war crimes and chanting “Free Palestine.” Ben-Gvir responded by shouting back, “Terrorists, 9/11 supporters, Israel haters, saboteurs, baby killers. Israel will remain ours!”
The minister’s trip drew renewed attention to his controversial reputation. Once viewed as too extreme even for most right-wing Israeli political figures, he is now a key member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition. In Israel, backlash also grew after his wife, Ayala Ben-Gvir, compared herself to an army reservist’s wife during his US visit. The Israel Defense Forces declined to draft Ben-Gvir due to his far-right activism and associations with extremist groups, including his involvement with the outlawed Kach movement, which was designated a terrorist organization in 1994, the same year he turned 18.
Ben-Gvir’s meetings in Washington followed visits to Florida, New Haven, and New York, where he met with Orthodox Jewish leaders and toured police and correctional facilities. He is expected to return to Israel on Tuesday.