Full Breakdown
Ben-Gvir’s Far-Right Surge Among Israel’s Young Voters Ahead of the Oct 27 Election
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Youth-Driven Gains for Jewish Power
Polls before the Oct 27 national election show Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Jewish Power party expanding beyond its traditional base of militant West-Bank settlers. The party is projected to win eight or more Knesset seats, a level comparable to the historic Labour rump now known as the Democrats. A third of its supporters are first-time voters, many of them younger urban Israelis who previously dismissed the far-right as fringe.
Background & Context
Ben-Gvir, a former police minister, has long been associated with extremist rhetoric. In 2007 he was convicted of racist incitement and of supporting a banned terrorist organization. Since re-entering government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he has championed a March law that makes hanging the default sentence for Palestinians convicted of attacks on Israelis—a measure celebrated with a noose-decorated birthday cake and a lapel pin. He has also promoted issuing 300,000 gun licences exclusively to Israeli Jews and has boasted of “starvation” policies in Palestinian prisons.
Data & Statistics
- Electoral outlook: Jewish Power projected to secure >= 8 Knesset seats.
- Voter demographics: One-third of supporters are first-time voters; supporters are younger than the average electorate (Agam Labs poll).
- Policy reach: 300,000 gun licences issued to Jews; the hanging law applies only to Palestinians.
- Public opinion: 72 % of Israeli Jews favor a troop presence inside Gaza; 55 % support a prolonged occupation. 46 % view Netanyahu as the best prime-ministerial candidate, versus 29 % for former chief-of-staff Gadi Eisenkot. Nearly 80 % want continued fighting in Lebanon.
- Digital influence: Ben-Gvir’s TikTok account has roughly 200,000 followers, with videos garnering millions of views.
Official Statements & Responses
Ben-Gvir frames his agenda as a restoration of Jewish pride, telling a Tel Aviv crowd, “We have returned home after 2,000 years of exile and we need to be proud.” Supporters such as Odelia Kedmi describe his gun-permit expansion as giving her “air in my lungs,” likening it to “President Trump’s peace through strength.” Party adviser Yishai Fleisher argues that foreign criticism is irrelevant, stating that Israel must first earn regional respect before the world “understands” its permanence. Press secretary David Lander says Jewish Power seeks additional cabinet posts, including the justice ministry and retention of the national-security portfolio.
Criticism & Opposition
International condemnation has been swift. Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway placed Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on sanctions lists in 2025 for inciting West-Bank violence; the European Union is debating a similar measure. Human-rights observers note that the hanging law applies only to Palestinians, violating principles of equal treatment. Critics also highlight Ben-Gvir’s past glorification of Baruch Goldstein and his public mockery of detained Gaza-flotilla activists.
Timeline
- May 14: Ben-Gvir participates in the annual Jerusalem Day march in the Old City.
- October 7: Hamas attacks kill ? 1,200 Israelis, triggering the Gaza war and the first election since the attacks.
- October 27: National election to decide whether the far-right coalition remains in power.
What’s Next
The Oct 27 vote will determine if Jewish Power can translate its youth-driven surge into a governing bloc. Analysts note that coalition negotiations will hinge on whether Ben-Gvir secures the justice ministry and retains the national-security portfolio, potentially shaping Israel’s domestic and security policies for the coming term.