Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is expected to travel to the United States for an informal visit shortly after the conclusion of Pesach. Representing the Otzma Yehudit party, Ben-Gvir is slated to meet with officials from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and to engage with members of the American Jewish community. While no formal invitation was extended by the Trump team, the visit has received their stamp of approval.
This visit represents a notable departure from previous American policy. Under President Biden, Ben-Gvir was diplomatically marginalized due to his former ties with the banned Kach organization, which is classified as a terrorist group. In late 2024, the State Department criticized Ben-Gvir for visiting the grave of Rabbi Meir Kahane, the movement’s founder, issuing a harsh statement: “Celebrating the legacy of a terrorist and a terrorist organization is abhorrent. We strongly condemn any attempt to glorify acts of terror.”
The green light from the Trump administration seems to signal an effort to keep communication lines open with top Israeli figures. Observers believe this may be motivated by a desire not to complicate ongoing or future negotiations—whether they involve hostages or diplomatic overtures with countries like Saudi Arabia.
Roughly three years ago, the U.S. officially removed Kach from its list of foreign terrorist organizations. The group, which was led by Meir Kahane until his assassination in 1990, was banned in Israel after Baruch Goldstein, a follower of the movement, carried out a deadly attack at the Me’aras HaMachpelah in 1994. Although Kach has been labeled “dormant” since 2005, a 2019 exposé by Yediot Achronot revealed that former activists—Ben-Gvir among them—continued to operate in various ways.
After Israel’s 2022 election, U.S. officials debated whether Ben-Gvir should be denied entry, particularly if he attempted to visit in his capacity as a cabinet minister. His last trip to the U.S. was in 1988, which he says was a family visit, and he has not applied for a visa since. With a past conviction for incitement to terrorism, any application might have faced serious scrutiny or even a denial. At one point, the Biden administration weighed placing sanctions on Ben-Gvir, though this idea was ultimately shelved.
{Matzav.com Israel}