Israeli government approves far-right minister Ben-Gvir’s new ‘national guard’

Israel’s security cabinet approved the establishment of a new ‘national guard’ expected to consist of some 2,000 officers. 

The new and highly controversial “national guard” was promoted by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who is pushing for the law enforcement unit to fall directly under his authority.

The purpose of the national guard will be to fight terror and nationalistic crimes, as well as enforcing public order.

The latter has been interpreted by opposition lawmakers and security experts as directly related to the mass protests against the government’s judicial reforms.

“The national guard will serve as a skilled, trained, designated force to handle various emergency events, nationalist crime, terror and to strengthen governance where needed, as part of the duties carried out by the police today,” Haaretz quoted Ben-Gvir as saying.

According to Israeli media, several cabinet members opposed to having a 1,5% cut in their ministries’ budgets to fund the national guard.

The idea of a law enforcement force under Ben-Gvir has however been widely criticised, with Opposition Leader Yair Lapid calling it “ridiculous and despicable” to “finance a private army of thugs for the TikTok clown (Ben-Gvir).”

Israel Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai also warned Ben-Gvir that separating the national guard from the Police could have “disastrous consequences.”

Former Police chief, Moshe Karadi went even further, warned that the far-right minister would “recruit the Hilltop Youth” to his own “private militia” intended for his “political needs.”

Ofer Cassif, lawmaker from the Arab Israeli Hadash-Ta’al list, is particularly worried about Ben-Gvir’s national guard.

“The ‘National Guard’ is a sugar coated term for Kahanist militia, an updated Stormtroopers intended to target Arab citizens, leftists and all kinds of dissidents. Resembling Oswald Mosley’s Stewards, such a group is doomed to be eliminated. And we shall do everything to achieve that,” Cassif told Jewish News, referring to the paramilitary wing of the British Union of Fascists.

The agreement between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir to create a national guard came on Monday as the two were meeting ahead of Netanyahu’s decision to halt the judicial reforms.

After initially threatening to resign as minister if Netanyahu halted the reforms, Ben-Gvir gave his support after being promised to get a national guard, according to Israeli media.

Ben-Gvir has repeatedly said he wants the police to use more force against the demonstrators, often giving direct orders to commanders after visiting their headquarter in Tel Aviv.

The High Court of Justice, however, ruled that Ben-Gvir doesn’t have the authority to give any orders on operational levels, which falls under the responsibilities of the Police Commissioner. Ben-Gvir lashed out at the High Court, calling the ruling a “coup” against him.