Hardline Israeli war cabinet minister hospitalised after car crash

Nataliya Vasilyeva
·2 min read
4
Police at the scene of the accident
Police cordon off the accident scene, with Mr Ben-Gvir's car lying on its roof - AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP

Israel’s hard-Right national security minister has been injured in a car accident after his motorcade reportedly ran a red light.

A car carrying Itamar Ben-Gvir flipped over at an intersection in the central town of Ramla on Friday afternoon, police said.

Footage from the scene shows the vehicle upside down in the middle of an intersection.

Mr Ben-Gvir’s office said the minister had been in the car with his daughter, his driver and a security guard. All four were taken to hospital in a light to moderate condition.

Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth news organisation quoted an eyewitness saying that the minister’s car had run a red light when another car was crossing the intersection. The minister’s office has not commented on the allegation.

Asked about the claim, Yaakov Shabtai, head of the Israeli police, told reporters at the scene that an investigation had been launched and “everything will be examined”.

Mr Ben-Gvir was in Ramla to visit the scene of an attack which happened earlier on Friday, in which an unknown man stabbed a 19-year-old woman in the back. The attacker was shot dead by a passer-by.

The damaged car
Mr Ben-Gvir's daughter was also injured in the accident - AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP

The national security minister, one of the most influential hard-liners in Israel, has previously been criticised after being pictured in his car without a seat belt.

Mr Ben-Gvir was also in an accident last summer, when his driver allegedly ran a red light because the minister was late for a TV interview. The results of the investigation have not yet been made public.

Traffic accidents are frequent in Israel on Friday afternoons as many motorists, religious or not, rush home for sabbath dinner as businesses and shops shut down across the country.

The country has a significantly better accident record than any of its neighbours in the Middle East and North Africa, but it lags far behind Europe in terms of crashes, injuries and fatalities.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.