Anti-Israel protesters confront Ben-Gvir during meetings with Republican lawmakers

Israel’s national security minister met with four Republican congressmen during a visit to Capitol Hill that included confrontation with pro-Hamas activists.

By World Israel News Staff

Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir (Otzma Yehudit) met on Monday with Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill, including the chairman of the powerful House Foreign Affairs Committee, at the end of his first visit to the U.S. as representative of the Israeli government.

The right-wing minister met with Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, along with Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Brian Mast of Florida. Mast, a former U.S. Army combat engineer who was severely injured in combat in Afghanistan, volunteered with the IDF in 2015.

“It was an honor to meet with you — looking forward to continuing our work together for the benefit of both our countries,” Ben-Gvir said of his meeting with Mast.

Ben-Gvir also met with Rep. Claudia Tenney of New York, who leads the Friends of Judea and Samaria Caucus in the House, and Rep. Mike Lawler of New York, chairman of the Middle East and North Africa House Subcommittee.

The minister did not meet with any Democratic representatives.

Far-left anti-Israel activists, including members of the Code Pink protest movement, confronted Ben-Gvir several times on Capitol Hill, in one instance calling him a “war criminal who spews hatred.”

During another confrontation, a group of protesters chanted “Free, Free Palestine.”

Ben-Gvir later said the meetings he had with lawmakers were positive, adding that the members of Congress he met had expressed “full support” for Israel and noting the encounters with anti-Israel protesters.

“I concluded the diplomatic visit to the United States, at Capitol Hill, with important meetings with several senior members of Congress,” he said in a statement Tuesday morning following his visit to Washington. “They expressed to me their full support for the State of Israel.”

“During the meetings, a number of pro-Palestinian protesters began shouting slogans at me in support of Hamas and Gaza. I responded to them by saying that they are supporting murderers Just like on 9/11, we will defeat them.”