Kahanism

Kahanism is a right-wing Religious Zionist movement which some consider to be an extremist fringe movement, named after one of its major proponents, Rabbi Meir Kahane. Following Kahane's assassination in 1990, the movement was split in two. One splinter group is headed by Kiryat Arba settler leader Baruch Marzel, while the other by Rabbi Binyamin Ze'ev Kahane of Kfar Tapuach, who was assassinated in 2000.

Premises

The major premise of Kahanism is that the Arabs seek to exterminate the Jews, and that a Greater Israel, absent of the hostile Arab population, should be created in at minimum present-day Israel including the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Some Kahanists also argue that such a greater Israel should be ruled according to theocratic law, or include presently-Jordanian territory on the East Bank of the Jordan River.

Outlawed

The State of Israel has outlawed groups espousing Kahane's ideology, and forbids their participating in the Israeli government. The Kach party was banned from running for the Knesset in 1988, while the existence of the two Kahanist movements formed following Kahane's assassination were proclaimed illegal terrorist organizations in 1994.

Alleged Kahanist actions in Israel and the West Bank

Illegal Jewish West Bank settlements

Kahanists have built over 100 Jewish settlements in the West Bank, which are illegal under Israeli law.

Dr. Baruch Goldstein

The deadliest attack was when Baruch Goldstein, affiliated with Kach through the JDL, killed 29 Arabs at the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, in 1994. After this attack, members of Kach praised Goldstein's actions, and in the insuing political turmoil, the Knesset banned Kach in Israel. Kahanists believe the attack prevented a repeat of the 1929 Arab massacre of Hebron's Jews.

Suspected Kahanist violence

Roadside shootings, stabbings and grenade attacks against Palestinians have been carried out in Jerusalem and the West Bank by individuals or groups suspected of having ties to the former Kach group. Aliases such as 'The Committee for the Safety of the Roads'[1], 'The Sword of David' and 'The Repression of Traitors' have been used. According to the US government, these are all aliases of Kach.[2] These claims are controversial and not everyone views these claims as objective.

Kahanism in the USA

The main Kahanist group in the United States is the Jewish Defense League. The JDL started out as a vigilante organization to protect New York City's Orthodox Jewish communities from attacks by street thugs. Another Kahanist group in the United States is the Jewish Task Force (JTF). This organization is not only very anti-Arab, but is also vehemently anti-black. They are also opposed to Third World immigration to the United States. In many cases, they are so extreme that they are regarded by Kach supporters as extremists.

See also

• Revisionist Zionism

External links

• An analysis of terrorism
• Palestinian victims of terrorism
• An analysis and history of Kahane and Kahanism, based on an episode of "Frontline"

Kahanist websites

• Official Kahane Website
• Revava
• HaMeir L'David
• Kahane Books
• Jewish Defense League
• Jewish Task Force
• Masada2000.org
• MIYAD