Ben-Gvir praises Israeli criminal for attacks on anti-government protesters

Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir welcomed convicted felon and right-wing agitator Mordechai David to his Knesset office on Monday, expressing praise for his attacks on anti-government protesters.

The two shared words of mutual praise, with Ben-Gvir embracing David and applauding his actions. “Well done to you for protesting, shouting and demonstrating,” said Ben Gvir in one of four videos David posted on TikTok. “It’s excellent, it’s democracy, a democratic mission, very good.” The right-wing activist has 72,000 followers and millions of views on the social media platform.

In another video, Ben Gvir discussed the increase in firearm licences issued to civilians since he became a minister, as well as the tougher conditions imposed on Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

“He has our backs, and we have his back, we all support him,” said David, a Bnei Brak resident, who was indicted for arson and criminal conspiracy during riots in the city in 2021 related to Covid-19 restrictions. After a plea deal, he was only convicted of attempted arson.

Moreover, David leads “Brothers for Justice”, an organisation that mobilises right-wing activists to confront anti-government protesters, particularly at demonstrations advocating for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. His group regularly disrupts these protests, often clashing with police and calling for harsher crackdowns on opposition demonstrators.

According to Haaretz, protesters in Tel Aviv have reported that police frequently fail to prevent attacks by the Brothers for Justice group. They claim that when they raise concerns about provocations from right-wing activists, law enforcement officers do little to disperse the groups or stop further violence.

In a video posted online on Sunday, David announced, “A group of Ben-Gvirists have come here to expose the hypocrisy of the leftists and annoy them. The era of leftists is over… Only Bibi.” That was an expression of support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Speaking to Haaretz about his recent meeting with Ben-Gvir, David said: “He welcomed me warmly, just as a left-wing minister would welcome a well-known left-wing activist. The more the media reports on Ben-Gvir’s offences, the more the public will love him. I admit I have a criminal record, but ultimately, I represent an opinion… The nation and the public share my and Ben-Gvir’s views. I have the right to express my opinion, and our guys don’t beat anyone. We’re not violent.”

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