November's election saw the far-right Religious Zionism alliance win 14 seats in Israel's 120 seat parliament, set to make it the second most powerful force in Prime Minister-elect Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition.
Appointed to the newly expanded post of National Security minister, in charge of police in Israel and the occupied West Bank is Itamar Ben-Gvir - leader of the ultranationalist pro-settler Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party, which espouses racist, anti-Arab policies.
He made his name among a young national-religious base as a gun-wielding street agitator who calls for the deportation of "disloyal" Arabs and for the shooting of Palestinians who throw stones.
Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party leader Itamar Ben-Gvir
Mr Ben-Gvir has previous convictions for racist incitement and supporting a Jewish terrorist group, and is well known to the Palestinians of Hebron as he comes from one of the city's Jewish settlements.
Many fear his promotion from the radical fringes into the political mainstream will usher in a dangerous new phase, with the region already gripped by deadly IDF arrest raids in the West Bank and the most lethal wave of Palestinian attacks in years.
In Hebron this year, two Palestinians including a 16-year-old boy have been shot dead by Israeli forces during protests in the city, and a further two during alleged knife attacks on Israeli forces. One Israeli man was killed in a gun attack by a Palestinian who was subsequently shot dead.
On the day we filmed, Israeli peace activists were leading a tour meant to look at the daily realities of life here.
FULL ARTICLE AT: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-64037478
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