top5/23/2013
Terrorist Organization Profile: |
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| n/a | |
| Kahane Chai, Kakh | |
| Israel, West Bank/Gaza | |
| 1971 | |
| Less than 100 members | |
| Nationalist/Separatist, Religious | |
| Unknown | |
| Kach is a Jewish nationalist extremist group in Israel founded by the late Rabbi Meir Kahane. In 1968, Rabbi Kahane founded the Jewish Defense League (JDL), a US organization dedicated to protecting American Jews. The JDL became increasingly militant, espousing violence and vigilantism to curb anti-Semitism. In 1969, Kahane emigrated to Israel, and by 1971, he had established an international office of the JDL in Israel. The Kach movement (Hebrew for "Thus") emerged from this international JDL office. Rooted in extremist Jewish ideology, Kach sought to restore the Biblical land of Israel by annexing all the disputed territories of Israel and forcibly removing all Arabs. Preaching the motto of "terror against terror," Kach openly espoused violence against Arabs and actively participated in anti-Arab activities in Israel. As part of its extremist ideology, the group also espoused violence against the Israeli government. In the mid 1970s, Kahane sought to transform Kach into an organized political party, running twice unsuccessfully for the Israeli Knesset. In 1984, Kahane was successfully elected to the Knesset. However, in 1988, Israeli law was amended to forbid racist groups from participating elections, effectively barring Kach from the political scene. |
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| Despite the assassination of Rabbi Kahane in 1990, the Kach movement, and its closely affiliated splinter group, Kahane Chai, remained active in Israel. Kach has vehemently opposed the peace process, threatening and using violence against both Arabs and Israeli government officials. Following the signing of the Oslo peace accords between Israel and the PLO in 1994, a Kach supporter killed 29 people in a mosque in Hebron. As a result of this attack, Israel formally outlawed Kach and designated it as a terrorist organization. Despite its being outlawed, Kach continues its anti-Arab activities within Israel. While the group has not officially claimed many attacks since being outlawed, Kach praises and supports any violence against Arabs.
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Key Leaders
Related Groups
- Committee for the Security of the Highways -- Splinter Group
- EYAL (Fighting Jewish Organization) -- Other Affiliation
- Jewish Defense League (JDL) -- Shared Members
- Kahane Chai -- Splinter Group
U.S. Government Designations
| Yes (in 2005) | |
| No | |
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Learn more about these U.S. Department of State classifications: Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) Terrorist Exclusion List (TEL) |
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Other Governments' Designations
| No | |
| No | |
| No | |
| Yes | |
| No |
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