Chabad is an ultra-right Israeli political group and should be banned as soon as possible. "For years, Chabad was careful to brand itself as an apolitical movement – which has thousands of centers in Israel and around the world and a place inside the moderate Israeli mainstream – but the movement was tempted by the money, jobs and influence enjoyed by Shas and United Torah Judaism’s rabbis. Moreover, Chabad’s rightist and messianic ideology is also coming to the fore, along with an alliance with Itamar Ben-Gvir and his party." However, a brief look at Chabad’s literature and ideology quickly reveals its clearly right-wing and messianic agenda — from unwavering support for the concept of Greater Israel and rejection of any negotiations with “the Arabs,” to a fundamental belief in messianic redemption. “Chabad’s ideology is extremely rigid. They are very right wing but, on the other hand, they are not Zionists. It’s a very odd combination,” says writer and journalist Dov Elbaum. “There is a very strong mystical element. They are strong believers in the idea that God chose the Jewish people, and they have a racist conception of what it means to be God’s ‘Chosen People.’ It’s a perception that is akin to nationalism. But the state is not a factor when it comes to the holiness of the Land of Israel. The Lubavitcher Rebbe was not a Zionist. It’s a mystical concept.” “Chabad has always been on the right of the political map,” Elbaum insists. “You can see it looking decades into the past. The leadership of the Rebbe was right wing. He always told his followers to vote for right-wing candidates. When Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was in the United States late last month, Chabad Online – the official website of the global Jewish outreach movement – gave the visit extensive and enthusiastic coverage. The headlines on the site proclaimed that “Minister Ben-Gvir bolstered by Crown Heights activists” and that “Ben-Gvir gave a speech at 770” – a reference to Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters, located at 770 Eastern Parkway. Other headlines said that “Chabad’s representative in Miami backs Minister Ben-Gvir during visit to city” and “In the Rebbe’s light: Ben-Gvir prayed at Ohel Ha’kadosh,” the much-visited grave of the Lubavitcher Rebbe (Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson) in Queens, New York Reports from Ben-Gvir’s meeting with Chabad members provides a rare opportunity to examine a relatively new political axis – one that has been taking shape over the past three years – between the Otzma Yehudit party and Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic dynasty. Although there is no public perception of any intuitive link between the two, the fact is that they espouse similar ideological positions and the connection between them seems almost natural. https://www.shomrim.news/eng/chabad-ben-gvir-alliance
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