Israeli Jewish Power party leader Itamar Ben-Gvir speaks in Jerusalem on Oct. 30. Photo: Ahmad Gharabli/AFP via Getty Images
The Biden administration is unlikely to engage with Jewish supremacist politician Itamar Ben-Gvir, who is expected to be a senior minister in a future Israeli government formed by Benjamin Netanyahu, two U.S. officials told Axios.
Why it matters: No official decision has been made yet, but if the Biden administration does boycott Ben-Gvir, it will mark an unprecedented development that would likely have negative consequences for the U.S.-Israeli relationship.
Driving the news: Ben-Gvir, who was convicted in 2007 of supporting a terror organization and inciting racism, said he wants to be the minister of internal security, a post that would put him in charge of the Israeli police and policies around Jerusalem's holy sites, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
Behind the scenes: U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken and national security adviser Jake Sullivan hinted at the possibility of not working with Ben-Gvir and other right-wing extremists during their meetings last week with Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
What they're saying: "We are pleased to see such strong voter turnout for the Knesset election," a White House national security spokesperson said.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to include Ned Price's comments.