Rabbi Amichai Eliyahu is an Israeli lawmaker and member of the far-right Otzma Yehudit Party.
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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