Jewish Racism in Israel: From Pariah Ideology to Government Legitimacy

This article examines how Kahanism transitioned from a banned racist and terrorist movement into a governing force, following the November 2022 Israeli elections. Tracing its trajectory from Meir Kahane, the father of the movement, to the appointment of Itamar Ben-Gvir as Minister of National Security, the study analyses how an extremist ideology achieved mainstream legitimacy and institutional power. Employing historical process tracing and ideological genealogy, the article identifies five mechanisms driving this normalisation: ideological adaptation, organisational continuity, recurring security crises, demographic anxieties, and elite legitimation through coalition politics. It demonstrates how Kahanist actors navigated political prohibition and leveraged democratic processes to reshape their public appeal. The article reveals the profound consequences of this institutionalisation for Israeli democracy, the rule of law and Arab–Jewish relations, offering broader insights into how proscribed extremist movements can exploit electoral politics to secure state authority.