Itamar Ben Gvir
Itamar Ben GvirOlivier Fitoussi/Flash90

Incoming National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is one of the leading voices in the Knesset for changing existing laws against discrimination to allow businesses to refuse to provide services if doing so would offend religious beliefs. On Thursday, journalist Akiva Novak revealed that in 2018, when still a private citizen, Ben-Gvir himself sued a woman for 100,000 NIS in a similar scenario.

Back in 2018 Ben-Gvir was still a practising lawyer and activist in Otzma Yehudit, and he applied to rent an office in certain location in Jerusalem. After discussing the details, moments before closing the deal, the office owner asked Ben-Gvir his name. Upon hearing his reply the owner declared that she refused to finalize a deal with someone she viewed as an extremist. In response, Ben-Gvir filed a suit for 100,000 NIS. The reason he cited: a clause in the law against discrimination, just one article after the clause which Ben-Gvir now wishes to change.

The legal case dragged on for years, almost up until Ben-Gvir's election to the Knesset. Eventually, the two sides reached a compromise and the office owner paid a sum of 5,000 NIS in compensation.