Deputy Knesset Speaker praises Meir Kahane as ‘worthy of the Israel Prize’

Kahane, an Israeli-American rabbi, founded the Jewish Defense League in the United States and later the Kach party in Israel.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Deputy Knesset Speaker Nissim Vaturi of the Likud Party triggered an uproar on Wednesday when he praised Rabbi Meir Kahane, saying the late activist “was right about many things” and that Likud had been wrong to cast him out.

Addressing lawmakers from the Knesset podium, Vaturi described Kahane as misunderstood and said he should not have been branded a terrorist.

“The Likud leadership erred in pushing him aside,” he said. “If he were alive today, he would be considered holy and worthy of the Israel Prize.”

His comments drew immediate outrage. Yesh Atid MK Yorai Lahav-Hertzanu interrupted to ask, “Do you support terror?” Vaturi shot back, “I support it. The Likud made a mistake when it excluded him. He was right about many things. Keep living with your misconceptions.”

Kahane, an Israeli-American rabbi, founded the Jewish Defense League in the United States and later the Kach party in Israel.

The FBI designated the JDL a terrorist organization, and Israel banned Kach from parliament for promoting racist incitement. Both Kach and its offshoot, Kahane Chai, are outlawed in Israel and remain on U.S. terror lists. Kahane was assassinated in New York in 1990.

No official response was issued by Likud, leaving questions over whether the party will distance itself from Vaturi’s praise of Kahane.

Israel PrizeKnessetMeir Kahane