Bentzi Gopstein

Biography

Gopstein, 52, is a political activist affiliated with the radical right party, Otzma Yehudit, in Israel. Gopstein is a former member of the Council of the illegal Israeli settlement of Kiryat Arba and is founder of the extreme right-wing Lehava- an Israeli Jewish anti-assimilation organization.

Moreover, he is a member of the Religious Zionism bloc in the Knesset, which has long advocated for the complete eviction of Palestinians from their homes by force and the annexation of the West Bank.

Rabbi Gopstein is a prominent follower of Meir Kahane and his beliefs in the Zionist Conception of a greater Israel on lands that include Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Sinai and parts of Iraq. Gopstein earned prominence for threatening Arab men suspected of having affairs with Jewish women.

Additionally, he has been jailed and investigated several times for making statements against all non-Jews, showing racism and superiority, including an article in which he referred to Christians residing in Israel as “vampires and bloodsuckers.”

Evidence of Hate Speech/Incitement:

June 2021: In a published article by Al Jazeera, during the annual Jewish flag parade in East Jerusalem, Lehava followers, lead by their chairman Bentzi Gopstein and his attorney Itamar Ben-Gvir, chanted in Hebrew: “Death to Arabs”, “may your village burn”, and “a second nakba is coming”.

May 2021: In a racist tweet about Ayman Odeh, a Palestinian lawyer, politician and leader of the Hadash party and joint List alliance in the Knesset, Gopstein claims that “as long as this terrorist is in the Knesset, peace won’t be achieved”.

August 2015: Gopstein endorses the fires and burning of the Church of Multiplication near the Sea of Galilee in the Holy Land and incites on the importance of destruction of Christian idolatries.

May 2015: Gopstein calls for a ban on Christmas celebrations in Israel, labelling Christians as vampires and bloodsuckers and claims that if Christians will not be eradicated, they will drink the Jewish blood once again and this claim is gaining influence in the Israeli politics.