Kahane was known in the United States and Israel for his strong political, nationalist views, exemplified in his promotion of a Greater Israel based on Jewish law. He founded two controversial movements: the Jewish Defense League (JDL) in the USA and Kach, an Israeli political party. In 1984, Kach gained one seat in the Knesset and Rabbi Meir Kahane became a member. In 1986, Kach was declared a racist party by the Israeli government and banned from the Knesset, and, in 1994, following the Meoras HaMachpela massacre by Baruch Goldstein the movement was outlawed completely. Kahane’s Knesset career was ended by section 7a of Basic Law: The Knesset (1958): “Prevention of Participation of Candidates List.
In 1990, after a speech in a Manhattan, New York Marriott hotel, Kahane was assassinated. The prime suspect, El Sayyid Nosair, was subsequently acquitted of murder but convicted on gun possession charges. He was buried in Jerusalem, where between thousands of people attended his funeral.Kahane was known in the United States and Israel for his strong political, nationalist views, exemplified in his promotion of a Greater Israel based on Jewish law. He founded two controversial movements: the Jewish Defense League (JDL) in the USA and Kach, an Israeli political party. In 1984, Kach gained one seat in the Knesset and Rabbi Meir Kahane became a member. In 1986, Kach was declared a racist party by the Israeli government and banned from the Knesset, and, in 1994, following the Meoras HaMachpela massacre by Baruch Goldstein the movement was outlawed completely. Kahane’s Knesset career was ended by section 7a of Basic Law: The Knesset (1958): “Prevention of Participation of Candidates List.”
Following Kahane’s murder, no charismatic leader emerged to replace him in the movement, and Kahane’s ideology declined in popularity among Israelis. Two small Kahanist factions later emerged; one under the name of Kach and the other Kahane Chai (Kahane lives on).
In late 2000, as terrorist attacks on Israel during the Al-Aqsa Intifada began, Kahane supporters spray-painted graffiti on hundreds of bus shelters and bridges all across Israel. The message on each target was identical, simply reading: “Kahane Was Right”.
Since the 1994 banning of Kach and Kahane Chai no party has officially represented the ‘Kahanist’ position in politics. There have been, however, several parties which have had clear ideological, if not personal, links to Rabbi Kahane.
On December 31, 2000, Meir Kahane’s son, Kahane Chai leader rabbi Binyamin Ze’ev Kahane, and his wife Talya were murdered in their van as they were driving with their children from Jerusalem to their home in the Israeli settlement of Kfar Tapuach. Palestinian gunmen fired more than 60 machine-gun rounds into their van. A statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office in 2001 announced the arrest of 3 members of Fatah’s Force 17 allegedly involved in the attack.
According to the statement, PLO activist Mahmoud Damra, also known as Abu Awad, was responsible for arming and training the three assassins, identified as Talal Ghassan, 37, a senior Force 17 member in Ramallah, Marzouk Abu Naim, 43, and Na’man Nofel.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
