New Israeli MPs carry records of hardline stances on Gaza

Provisional results from the recent Israeli elections show that a group of candidates is poised to join or return to the Knesset. These politicians have a documented history of advocating for severe measures against Palestinians, including collective punishment, sieges, and what they described as ethnic cleansing. Their views, expressed in recent interviews and public appearances, shape the incoming legislative body's approach to the conflict.

The records of these candidates include specific calls for resource deprivation and physical separation. One candidate proposed cutting off water and electricity to villages that resisted occupation. Another suggested a mass transfer of Arabs to Switzerland. These proposals were made in recorded media appearances and parliamentary debates, providing a clear baseline of their policy positions before the election.

Hanamel Dorfman, a former chief of staff to Ben Gvir, represents the Jewish Power party. At a 2013 protest in Tel Aviv, the then 17-year-old Dorfman commented on the Nazis, stating, "The only problem with the Nazis is that I was on the losing side." Footage from his wedding that year showed him dancing with knives to songs about attacks on Palestinians. Yitzhak Wasserlauf, also of Jewish Power, quoted Psalm 137 to soldiers, referencing the smashing of babies against rocks, according to Jewish News.

Tzvika Mor and Itamar Eitam, both from the Religious Zionism, Zehut party, have promoted distinct views on the civilian-military distinction. Mor, a settler from Kiryat Arba, demanded the expulsion of families and confiscation of property from villages resisting occupation. Eitam, a reserve lieutenant colonel, rejected the difference between fighters and civilians, describing Palestinians as evil in a 2024 interview.

Yonatan Shalev and Merav Ben-Ari of the Together party have also voiced strong positions. Shalev told The Jerusalem Post that Israel would not pass its territory to anyone, defending the denial of a Palestinian state. Ben-Ari, during an October 2023 debate, blamed Palestinian children for their suffering, a remark later cited in a UN inquiry. Yulia Malinovsky of Yisrael Beiteinu joined activists blocking aid trucks in October, using the blockade for campaigning.

Matan Kahana of the Yashar party made a specific remark in June 2022 about pressing a button to remove Arabs and send them to Switzerland. This comment highlighted a desire for mass ethnic cleansing. The inclusion of these candidates in the new parliament signals a continuation of these specific policy stances in the upcoming legislative term.