Israel advances national guard force for right-wing minister

By TIA GOLDENBERG
Associated Press

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has given preliminary approval for the establishment of a national guard overseen by an ultranationalist Cabinet minister with a long record of anti-Arab rhetoric and stunts. The Cabinet approved the formation of the force on Sunday after Netanyahu agreed to postpone a contentious government plan to overhaul the judiciary as a way to keep National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from quitting the coalition. It remains to be determined whether the force will answer directly to Ben-Gvir or to the police. Critics say the new force is effectively a personal militia for Ben-Gvir, a former far-right activist who has been convicted of incitement and support for a Jewish terror group.