Ynet Interview: Kahanist NU candidate

In Ynet News today there is a fantastic interview with National Union candidate Dr. Michael Ben-Ari. Dr. Ben-Ari currently sits 4th on the NU Party list, which means he is almost assuredly going to be a sitting Member of Knesset after the February elections. Currently, the NU list is polling to win 5 seats.

Ynet: Eight days ahead of the general elections, and with polls predicting four Knesset seats for the National Union, Dr. Michael Ben-Ari – number four on the party's list and a man who defines himself "Kahane's student and follower" - is very likely to find himself in the Israeli parliament.

In a conversation with Ynet, Ben-Ari presented his proposed solution to the "problem" of Israeli Arabs, declared he would not be part of a Knesset that engages in negotiations with the Palestinians and explained his support for soldiers disobeying orders.

"I'm not the only one who represents (late Rabbi Meir) Kahane. He's represented by a great many people today, within the Knesset and outside it," Ben-Ari stated. "(Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor) Lieberman masquerades as Kahane to win more mandates, (Likud MK) Limor Livnat also sounds like Kahane, and everybody realizes the need for a solution to the problem of Israeli Arabs – a subject which was once taboo.

"The saying, 'Kahane was right,' has already been used up. You can practically see how what Rabbi Kahane brought up 24 years ago has now become the central issue of this election campaign," he added.

Ben-Ari explained that his plan was to open a "humanitarian corridor" for Arabs to places like Turkey or Venezuela, and raise money worldwide that would go towards providing them with an "acclimatization grant" in their new countries.

Are you referring to the entire Arab population in Israel?

"I suppose not all of them are enemies. The Druze, for instance, are highly loyal and aren't hostile. But the Arabs in Umm al-Fahm who dance on the rooftops when Jews are being slaughtered? What I'm suggesting isn't cruelty or racism, but survivability. It's either us or them. If we're nice to them and keep dreaming of coexistence – they will fight us."

According to Ben-Ari, transfer for Arabs is but a minor part of Kahane's teachings. Among the other objectives he vowed to try and accomplish in the next Knesset is the elimination of "the High Court's rule":

"Dorit Beinish is the last Supreme Court president who represents the Left in Israel. The next president will have to be chosen in elections that represent the opinion of the majority in Israel."

He added that "the Supreme Court will be made up of sensible jurists whose worldview falls in line with those of the people of Israel… the judges in Israel will act in favor of the Jews and the IDF soldiers, whose lives are more valuable than those of others."

Seeking to rebuild the Temple

Ben-Ari stressed that his party would not be part of a government that would seek to promote diplomatic negotiations with Syria or the Palestinians. "But we believe that (Likud Chairman Benjamin) Netanyahu will want to build a government that will bolster outposts and lift the siege that has been imposed on the Judea and Samaria communities in recent years," he stated.

When asked for his views regarding the current situation at the Temple Mount, Ben-Ari said that the National Union would act to institute Jewish sovereignty and Halacha law at the place.

"The reality at the Temple Mount is one of the State of Israel's greatest expressions of weakness, and I believe that whoever controls the Temple Mount controls Israel," he said.

"Regarding the reconstruction of the Temple – the party's rabbis will decide when and how this should be done. My personal opinion is that it is a mitzvah to build a house for God and offer sacrifices there, and this should be carried out like any other mitzvah."

Commenting on the question of soldiers disobeying orders to evacuate settlements, Ben-Ari unequivocally stated that disobedience was an obligation. "There is a specific Halacha ruling issued by Rabbi Shapira that a soldier must not evacuate settlements in the Land of Israel. I was proud of my students who refused to take part in the expulsion and were jailed for this. The willingness to cooperate with anything that the IDF does is a grave mistake."

And how about refusal on the Left?

"The comparison between Israel lovers and conscientious objectors like Yesh Din, who have removed themselves from the people of Israel and are collaborating with the enemy, is downright cruel."

I love the fact that a likely MK member is directly and openly a Kahanist, and his party will be represented with maybe 5 or more seats in the government. May the National Union Party be fruitful and multiply!!

-MZ