Amihai Eliyahu
Amihai Eliyahu | |
|---|---|
| עמיחי בן אליהו | |
 | |
| Ministerial roles | |
| 2022– | Minister of Heritage |
| Faction represented in theKnesset | |
| 2022–2023 | Otzma Yehudit |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 April 1979 Jerusalem,Israel |
| Political party | Otzma Yehudit |
| Children | 6[1] |
| Parent(s) | Shmuel Eliyahu(father) Mordechai Eliyahu(paternal grandfather) |
| Residence(s) | Rimonim,Mateh Binyamin Regional Council, West Bank |
Amihai Ben-Eliyahu(Hebrew:עמיחי בן אליהו;born 24 April 1979),[2][3]commonly known asAmihai Eliyahu(Hebrew:עמיחי אליהו), is anIsraeli far-right[4][5][6]politician and activist who has served asMinister of Heritagesince 2022. Eliyahu also briefly served as a member of theKnessetforOtzma Yehuditfollowing the2022 Israeli legislative election.
In 2023, Eliyahu received international attention for his suggestion thatnuclear weaponsbe used in theGaza Stripin the2023 Israel–Hamas war.[5]He is a resident of theWest BanksettlementofRimonim.[7]
Biography[edit]
 |
He was born inJerusalemand raised inShlomi,a town inNorthern Israel.He is the son ofShmuel Eliyahu,and the grandson ofMordechai Eliyahu,the former SephardiChief Rabbi of Israel.He attended variousyeshivasacross the country, and during hisIDFservice, he served in theParatroopers Brigade.
Political career[edit]
Prior to joiningOtzma Yehudit,he was a supporter of theNational Unionparty.[7]He was placed 18th on theYaminalist ofSeptember 2019 Israeli legislative election,he didn't make into the Knesset since the alliance only won seven seats. Eliyahu was placed fourth on the Otzma Yehudit list in the2022 Israeli legislative election,[7]and became an MK.[8]
He becameMinister for Jerusalem Affairs and Heritageon 29 December 2022, and resigned from the Knesset on 1 January 2023 as part of theNorwegian Law.[3][9]
Political views[edit]
Eliyahu is a strong opponent of proposals for atwo-state solution,describing theGreen Lineas a "fictitious line". He supports fullIsraeli annexation of the West Bank,and has called on Israel to "impose sovereignty onJudea and Samaria".[6]
Eliyahu has criticized both police and theIsrael Defense Forces(IDF) over alleged preferential treatment towardsPalestiniansin the West Bank oversettlers.In August 2023, he claimed that "the IDF, police and [security] services in the last three decades" had adopted "the world view of the Palestinian population, that automatically views the settlers as guilty".[10]
Eliyahu has also called for the execution of Palestinian prisoners.[11]In December 2023, he said that Israel "should fully occupy the Gaza Strip" after the war and buildIsraeli settlementsthere.[12]
2023 nuclear weapons comments controversy[edit]
In an interview with Radio Kol Berama during the2023 Israel–Hamas war,Eliyahu claimed that the use ofnuclear weaponswas "one way" when discussing Israel's options in its ongoing military action in theGaza Strip,adding "The second way is to discover what is important to them, what scares them, what deters them... They are not afraid of death." He also endorsed thedisplacementof Gaza's Palestinian population, stating "They can go toIrelandor deserts, the monsters in Gaza should find a solution by themselves. "He also objected to humanitarian aid entering Gaza saying" we wouldn’t hand the Nazis humanitarian aid "and that there were no" uninvolved civilians in Gaza ".[13]
Public response[edit]
Eliyahu's statement immediately sparked controversy in and outside of Israel. His comments were condemned by opposition leader and former Prime MinisterYair Lapid,who described it as a "horrifying and insane remark" and urged his firing.[14]Eliyahu was also condemned byNational UnityleaderBenny Gantzand defense ministerYoav Gallant.[13]Gerry Carroll,a member of theNorthern Ireland Assembly,condemned Eliyahu's comments in response to his suggestion that Palestinians be removed from Gaza and transferred to Ireland.[15]
In response, Eliyahu defended his statements, saying that "any sensible person" knew that the comments were "metaphorical", but maintained his support for a "powerful and disproportionate response to terrorism".[16]Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahudisavowed his comments and announced his suspension from cabinet meetings.[17][5]However, Eliyahu took part in a cabinet telephone vote later that day.[18][19]National security ministerItamar Ben-Gviris reported to have intervened on behalf of Eliyahu.[20]
Personal life[edit]
Eliyahu is married and has six children. He lives inRimonim,an Israeli settlement in the West Bank.[21][7]
References[edit]
- ^https:// timesnownews /world/who-is-amichai-eliyahu-israel-heritage-minister-suspended-gaza-nuclear-comment-article-104996839
- ^הציונות הדתית בראשות בצלאל סמוטריץ ועוצמה יהודית בראשות איתמר בן גביר[Religious Zionism led by Bezalel Smotrich and Otzma Yehudit led by Itamar Ben Gvir] (in Hebrew). Government of Israel. 15 September 2022.
- ^ab"חבר הכנסת עמיחי אליהו".Knesset(in Hebrew).Retrieved1 January2023.
- ^Marsden, Ariella (5 November 2023)."Netanyahu backed down from firing minister who called to nuke Gaza".The Jerusalem Post.Retrieved5 November2023.
- ^abcBerman, Lazar (5 November 2023)."Netanyahu suspends from cabinet meetings minister who touted option of nuking Gaza".The Times of Israel.Retrieved5 November2023.
- ^ab"Far-right minister says Green Line 'fictitious,' urges annexation of West Bank".The Times of Israel.2 August 2023.Retrieved5 November2023.
- ^abcdIdo Ben Porat (21 August 2022)."Rabbi Amihai Eliyahu joins Otzma Yehudit".Arutz Sheva.Retrieved20 November2022.
- ^Bachner, Michael;Staff writer(15 November 2022)."As 25th Knesset sworn in, president urges MKs to end" addiction "to toxic discourse".The Times of Israel.Retrieved24 November2022.
- ^"אחרי שמונה לשר: עמיחי אליהו התפטר מהכנסת".Srugim(in Hebrew).Retrieved1 January2023.
- ^"Far-right minister: IDF, police have adopted Palestinian view that settlers are guilty".The Times of Israel.7 August 2023.Retrieved5 November2023.
- ^"Israeli minister calls for executing Palestinian prisoners".Middle East Monitor.5 December 2023.Retrieved11 December2023.
- ^"Far-right minister: Israel should fully occupy Gaza after war, rebuild settlements".The Times of Israel.15 December 2023.
- ^abBachner, Michael (5 November 2023)."Far-right minister says nuking Gaza an option, PM suspends him from cabinet meetings".The Times of Israel.Retrieved28 March2024.
- ^"Lapid slams Eliyahu's 'horrifying and insane remark,' urges PM to promptly fire him".The Times of Israel.Retrieved5 November2023.
- ^McCann, Joe (6 November 2023)."Israeli Minister's comments to banish Palestinians to Ireland condemned".Belfast Media Group.Retrieved6 November2023.
- ^"Amichai Eliyahu has got to go – editorial".The Jerusalem Post.6 November 2023.Retrieved6 November2023.
- ^"Netanyahu says minister's remark about nuking Gaza is 'detached from reality'".The Times of Israel.Retrieved5 November2023.
- ^Harel, Amos (6 November 2023)."Rumbling in the North as Israel Works Against U.S. Clock in Gaza".Haaretz.Retrieved6 November2023.
- ^Verter, Yossi (6 November 2023)."Netanyahu's Far-right Ministers Are His Assets, and for Israel a Liability".Haaretz.Retrieved6 November2023.
- ^TOI Staff (14 November 2023)."Rabbi backs remark by his son, a far-right minister, that nuking Gaza is an option".The Times of Israel.Retrieved11 December2023.
- ^"Who are Itamar Ben-Gvir's fellow party members and what do they believe?".The Jerusalem Post.2 November 2022.Retrieved5 November2023.