عميحاي إلياهو
عميحاي إلياهو | |
---|---|
עמיחי אליהו | |
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Ministerial roles | |
2022–2025 | Minister of Heritage |
Faction represented in the Knesset | |
2022–2023 | Otzma Yehudit |
2025– | Otzma Yehudit |
تفاصيل شخصية | |
وُلِد | 24 أبريل 1979 Jerusalem, Israel |
الحزب | Otzma Yehudit |
الأنجال | 6[1] |
الوالدان | Shmuel Eliyahu (father) Mordechai Eliyahu (paternal grandfather) |
الأب | Shmuel Eliyahu |
الإقامة | Rimonim, Mateh Binyamin Regional Council, West Bank |
Amihai Ben-Eliyahu (عبرية: עמיחי בן אליהו; born 24 April 1979),[2][3] commonly known as Amihai Eliyahu (عبرية: עמיחי אליהו), is an Israeli far-right[4] politician and activist who served as Minister of Heritage from 2022 until 2025. Eliyahu currently serves as a member of the Knesset for Otzma Yehudit, an office he briefly served in following the 2022 Israeli legislative election.
In 2023, Eliyahu received international attention for his suggestion that nuclear weapons be used in the Gaza Strip in the Israel–Hamas war.[5] He is a resident of the West Bank settlement of Rimonim.[6]
In January 2025, Eliyahu resigned from his ministerial position in response to the three-phase Israel–Hamas war ceasefire proposal,[7] and rejoined the Knesset in accordance with the Norwegian Law.[8]
Biography
He was born in Jerusalem and raised in Shlomi, a town in Northern Israel.[citation needed] He is the son of Shmuel Eliyahu, and the grandson of Mordechai Eliyahu, the former Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel.[9] He attended various yeshivas across the country, and during his IDF service, he served in the Paratroopers Brigade and fought in the 2006 Lebanon War.[10]
Political career
Prior to joining Otzma Yehudit, he was a supporter of the National Union party.[6] 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,[6] and became an MK.[11]
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][12]
On 17 January 2025, Otzma Yehudit held a press conference in which they announced their intention to withdraw from the coalition if the government accepted the three-phase ceasefire proposal.[13] The proposal was accepted, and Eliyahu subsequently resigned alongside the rest of the party's ministers when the ceasefire went into effect on 19 January 2025.[14] His term ended on 21 January.[15] Otzma Yehudit has stated its intention to rejoin the governing coalition if the deal does not result in a permanent ceasefire.[13]
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".[4]
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".[16]
Eliyahu has also called for the execution of Palestinian prisoners.[17] In December 2023, he said that Israel "should fully occupy the Gaza Strip" after the war and build Israeli settlements there.[18]
Eliyahu in July 2024 urged his supporters to protest at Sde Teiman detention camp against the Israeli military police's detention of nine Israeli soldiers suspected of abuse of a Palestinian prisoner; Eliyahu then joined other right-wingers in illegally invading the Sde Teiman detention camp.[19]
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".[20]
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.[21] Eliyahu was also condemned by National Unity leader Benny Gantz and defense minister Yoav Gallant.[20] 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.[22]
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".[23] Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu disavowed his comments and announced his suspension from cabinet meetings.[24][5] However, Eliyahu took part in a cabinet telephone vote later that day.[25][26] National security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is reported to have intervened on behalf of Eliyahu.[27]
Personal life
Eliyahu is married and has six children. He lives in Rimonim, an Israeli settlement in the Judean Hills east of Jerusalem on the West Bank of the Jordan River.[28][6]
References
- ^ "Who is Amichai Eliyahu? Israel Heritage Minister Suspended over Gaza Nuclear Comment". 6 نوفمبر 2023.
- ^ 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 العبرية). Government of Israel. 15 سبتمبر 2022.
- ^ أ ب "חבר הכנסת עמיחי אליהו". Knesset (in العبرية). Retrieved 1 يناير 2023.
- ^ أ ب "Far-right minister says Green Line 'fictitious,' urges annexation of West Bank". The Times of Israel. 2 أغسطس 2023. Retrieved 5 نوفمبر 2023.
- ^ أ ب Berman, Lazar (5 نوفمبر 2023). "Netanyahu suspends from cabinet meetings minister who touted option of nuking Gaza". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 5 نوفمبر 2023.
- ^ أ ب ت ث Ido Ben Porat (21 أغسطس 2022). "Rabbi Amihai Eliyahu joins Otzma Yehudit". Arutz Sheva. Retrieved 20 نوفمبر 2022.
- ^ Summers, Charlie (21 يناير 2025). "Ben Gvir said seeking to retain influence over law enforcement, despite resigning". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 2 فبراير 2025.
- ^ "Personnel changes in the 25th Knesset". Knesset. Retrieved 21 يناير 2025.
- ^ "דמו הכחול לא הסמיק מבושה: על הצביעות של עמיחי אליהו". Maariv (in العبرية). 14 يوليو 2023. Retrieved 24 يناير 2025.
- ^ "הרב עמיחי אליהו מצטרף לעוצמה יהודית: "רגע היסטורי לציונות הדתית"". Arutz Sheva (in العبرية). 21 أغسطس 2022. Retrieved 24 يناير 2025.
- ^ Bachner, Michael; Staff writer (15 نوفمبر 2022). "As 25th Knesset sworn in, president urges MKs to end "addiction" to toxic discourse". The Times of Israel (in الإنجليزية الأمريكية). Retrieved 24 نوفمبر 2022.
- ^ "אחרי שמונה לשר: עמיחי אליהו התפטר מהכנסת". Srugim (in العبرية). Retrieved 1 يناير 2023.
- ^ أ ب Cohen, Gilad; Azulay, Moran (16 يناير 2025). "בן גביר: "העסקה מופקרת, נתפטר - ונשוב לממשלה אם תחודש המלחמה"". Ynet (in العبرية). Retrieved 19 يناير 2025.
- ^ "עוצמה יהודית פרשה מהקואליציה, בן גביר ושרי המפלגה הגישו מכתבי התפטרות". Haaretz (in العبرية). 19 يناير 2025. Archived from the original on 19 يناير 2025. Retrieved 19 يناير 2025.
- ^ Summers, Charlie (21 يناير 2025). "Ben Gvir said seeking to retain influence over law enforcement, despite resigning". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 23 يناير 2025.
- ^ "Far-right minister: IDF, police have adopted Palestinian view that settlers are guilty". The Times of Israel. 7 أغسطس 2023. Retrieved 5 نوفمبر 2023.
- ^ "Israeli minister calls for executing Palestinian prisoners". Middle East Monitor. 5 ديسمبر 2023. Retrieved 11 ديسمبر 2023.
- ^ "Far-right minister: Israel should fully occupy Gaza after war, rebuild settlements". The Times of Israel. 15 ديسمبر 2023.
- ^ Fabian, Emanuel (30 يوليو 2024). "'Bordering on anarchy': IDF chief sounds alarm after right-wing mob breaks into 2nd base". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 30 يوليو 2024.
- ^ أ ب Bachner, Michael (5 نوفمبر 2023). "Far-right minister says nuking Gaza an option, PM suspends him from cabinet meetings". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 28 مارس 2024.
- ^ "Lapid slams Eliyahu's 'horrifying and insane remark,' urges PM to promptly fire him". The Times of Israel (in الإنجليزية الأمريكية). Retrieved 5 نوفمبر 2023.
- ^ McCann, Joe (6 نوفمبر 2023). "Israeli Minister's comments to banish Palestinians to Ireland condemned". Belfast Media Group (in الإنجليزية). Retrieved 6 نوفمبر 2023.
- ^ "Amichai Eliyahu has got to go – editorial". The Jerusalem Post (in الإنجليزية الأمريكية). 6 نوفمبر 2023. Retrieved 6 نوفمبر 2023.
- ^ "Netanyahu says minister's remark about nuking Gaza is 'detached from reality'". The Times of Israel (in الإنجليزية الأمريكية). Retrieved 5 نوفمبر 2023.
- ^ Harel, Amos (6 نوفمبر 2023). "Rumbling in the North as Israel Works Against U.S. Clock in Gaza". Haaretz (in الإنجليزية). Retrieved 6 نوفمبر 2023.
- ^ Verter, Yossi (6 نوفمبر 2023). "Netanyahu's Far-right Ministers Are His Assets, and for Israel a Liability". Haaretz (in الإنجليزية). Retrieved 6 نوفمبر 2023.
- ^ TOI Staff (14 نوفمبر 2023). "Rabbi backs remark by his son, a far-right minister, that nuking Gaza is an option". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 11 ديسمبر 2023.
- ^ "Who are Itamar Ben-Gvir's fellow party members and what do they believe?". The Jerusalem Post (in الإنجليزية الأمريكية). 2 نوفمبر 2022. Retrieved 5 نوفمبر 2023.
- CS1 uses العبرية-language script (he)
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- مواليد 24 أبريل
- مواليد 1979
- شهر الميلاد مختلف في ويكي بيانات
- يوم الميلاد مختلف في ويكي بيانات
- Articles containing عبرية-language text
- Articles with unsourced statements from January 2025
- 1979 births
- Government ministers of Israel
- Israeli settlers
- Living people
- Members of the 25th Knesset (2022–)
- Otzma Yehudit politicians
- Politicians from Jerusalem