Palestinians alarmed as Ben-Gvir to become police minister

Palestinians are deeply concerned that Israeli far-right politician Itamar Ben-Gvir is to become police minister in a coalition deal with Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party that is set to create the most right-wing government in the country’s history. Given Ben-Gvir’s ultra-extremist views, more violence and instability are expected in the Palestinian Territories and East Jerusalem.

Ibrahim Melhem, spokesman for the Palestinian government, told Arab News that the Israelis “should worry more than the Palestinians about the appointment of BenGvir,” who espouses an extremist, racist, settler ideology.

He said: “He will not achieve security or stability for them as he promised, and will not defeat the Palestinian people. His appointment means greater sacrifices for the Palestinians and, in return, less security for the Israelis.”

Mustafa Barghouti, secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative Movement, told Arab News: “This is a hazardous development, and it means that the entire new Israeli government is moving toward a fascist policy, as Ben-Gvir will be responsible for Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Israeli police, and the Palestinians inside Israel.”

He added that the world must see the “result of its silence on Israel’s successive crimes in recent decades. It is required to impose sanctions and a boycott on the Israeli government and declare the Ben-Gvir party a terrorist party.”

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said the deal involving Ben-Gvir would have a “potentially catastrophic impact on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”

Basem Naim, head of the Hamas political department in Gaza, told Arab News: “Appointing Ben-Gvir to this position is like appointing a fugitive criminal as a police governor. The matter will not differ much because the essence of the work of the Zionist security services is racist and is based on working to abuse them by all means.”