Middle East Information Resource
Political Entities - Kach
Kach is an organization with the stated goal of restoring the biblical state of Israel. Kach was founded by the radical Israeli-American rabbi Meir Kahane. An offshoot of Kach is Kahane Chai, which means "Kahane Lives," which was founded by Meir Kahane`s son Binyamin following his father`s assassination in the United States.
Both groups were declared terrorist organizations in March 1994 by the Israeli Cabinet under the 1948 Terrorism Law. This followed the groups` statements in support of Dr. Baruch Goldstein`s attack in ebruary 1994 on the al-Ibrahimi Mosque. Goldstein was affiliated with Kach and their verbal attacks on the Israeli Government. Palestinian gunmen killed Binyamin Kahane and his wife in a drive-by shooting in December 2000 in the West Bank.
Kach organizes protests against the Israeli Government, and harass and threaten Palestinians in Hebron and the West Bank. They have threatened to attack Arabs, Palestinians, and Israeli Government officials, and have vowed revenge for the death of Binyamin Kahane and his wife. Kach is active in Israel and the West Bank settlements, particularly in Qiryat Arba` in Hebron. It receive support from sympathizers in the United States and Europe.