Ben-Gvir Birthday Cakes Feature Nooses Referencing Death Law

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir marked his 50th birthday on May 2, 2026, at a private party in the agricultural community of Emunim near Ashdod in southern Israel, where his wife Ayala presented him with cakes featuring noose imagery. The decorations referenced a recently passed law mandating the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of deadly terrorism acts in military courts.

Footage and photos shared by Ben-Gvir on Instagram showed a large three-tier cake topped with a golden noose, alongside images of guns aimed at a map of Israel that included the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The inscription read, "Congratulations to Minister Ben-Gvir. Sometimes dreams come true." Ayala Ben-Gvir also gave her husband a smaller cake bearing a similar noose design and the message, "Happy Birthday to Minister Ben-Gvir, sometimes dreams do come true."

The party occurred 33 days after the Knesset approved the legislation on March 30, 2026, by a 62-47 vote. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voted in favor and congratulated lawmakers afterward. The law requires military courts to impose death by hanging as the default sentence for West Bank Palestinians found guilty of...