Rabbi Amichai Eliyahu is an Israeli lawmaker and member of the far-right Otzma Yehudit Party. He currently serves as the country's heritage minister.
Eliyahu is the son of the chief rabbi of Safed, Shmuel Eliyahu. He has been the subject of considerable controversy throughout his tenure as a minster due to his statements, such as suggesting that Israel had the possible option of using a nuclear bomb on Gaza and saying that Israel should re-occupy the Gaza Strip.
Rather than "award" the Palestinians a state, Hamas must come "crawling and begging" for a hostage deal after being completely defeated, Eliyahu said.
On claims that his calls violate the IDF's open-fire rules, Eliyahu said "we are a state of law. At the end of the day, only God will hold terrorists accountable."
Asked in a radio interview about a hypothetical nuclear option, Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu had replied: "That's one way."
It didn’t take long for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to condemn Eliyahu’s remark and later announce that the minister would be suspended.
The far-right lawmaker later said on X that 'any sensible person' knew the comments that Israel could use a nuclear weapon in the Gaza Strip were 'metaphorical.'
Eliyahu's comments come amid ongoing coalition talks regarding a new draft law for ultra-Orthodox Israelis who study in yeshivas.
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