Amihai Ben-Eliyahu (Hebrew: עמיחי בן אליהו; born 24 April 1979),[2][3] commonly known as Amihai Eliyahu (Hebrew: עמיחי אליהו), is an Israeli far-right[4][5][6] politician and activist who has served as Minister of Heritage since 2022. Eliyahu also briefly served as a member of the Knesset for Otzma Yehudit following the 2022 Israeli legislative election.
Amihai Eliyahu | |
|---|---|
| עמיחי בן אליהו | |
 | |
| Ministerial roles | |
| 2022– | Minister of Jerusalem Affairs |
| Faction represented in the Knesset | |
| 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 |
In 2023, Eliyahu received international attention for his suggestion that nuclear weapons be used in the Gaza Strip in the 2023 Israel–Hamas war.[5] He is a resident of the West Bank settlement of Rimonim.[7]
Biography
He was born in Jerusalem and raised in Shlomi, a town in Northern Israel. He is the son of Shmuel Eliyahu, and the grandson of Mordechai Eliyahu, the former Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel. He attended various yeshivas across the country, and during his IDF service, he served in the Paratroopers Brigade.
Political career
Prior to joining Otzma Yehudit, he was a supporter of the National Union party.[7] He was placed 18th on the Yamina list of September 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 the 2022 Israeli legislative election,[7] and became an MK.[8]
He became Minister for Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage on 29 December 2022, and resigned from the Knesset on 1 January 2023 as part of the Norwegian Law.[3][9]
Political views
Eliyahu is a strong opponent of proposals for a two-state solution, describing the Green Line as a "fictitious line". He supports full Israeli annexation of the West Bank, and has called on Israel to "impose sovereignty on Judea and Samaria".[6]
Eliyahu has criticized both police and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) over alleged preferential treatment towards Palestinians in the West Bank over settlers. 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 build Israeli settlements there.[12]
2023 nuclear weapons comments controversy
In an interview with Radio Kol Berama during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, Eliyahu claimed that the use of nuclear weapons was "one way" when discussing Israel's options in its ongoing military action in the Gaza 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 the displacement of Gaza's Palestinian population, stating "They can go to Ireland or 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
Eliyahu's statement immediately sparked controversy in and outside of Israel. His comments were condemned by opposition leader and former Prime Minister Yair Lapid, who described it as a "horrifying and insane remark" and urged his firing.[14] Eliyahu was also condemned by National Unity leader Benny Gantz and defense minister Yoav Gallant.[13] Gerry Carroll, a member of the Northern 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 Minister Benjamin Netanyahu disavowed 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 minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is reported to have intervened on behalf of Eliyahu.[20]
Personal life
Eliyahu is married and has six children. He lives in Rimonim, an Israeli settlement in the West Bank.[21][7]