Defense Minister Moshe “Bogie” Yaalon has reached an initial decision to declare the Jewish anti-assimilation group Lehava a terror group and an unrecognized organization, according to Channel 2 television.

The report says that Yaalon has instructed the Shin Bet and legal officials in the Defense Ministry to collect legal materials that can provide an infrastructure of evidence for such a move.

Yaalon was voted into a good place on Likud’s Knesset list just last week, despite heavy pressure by the heads of the settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria.

Lehava Chairman Bentzi Gopshtain said in response to news of Yaalon’s intent that “this is an election stunt that only goes to show why it is so wrong to vote Likud. I suggest that Bogie take action to outlaw the Islamic Movement first and only then mess around with a legitimate organization that acts against assimilation.”

Gopshtain noted that two Lehava activists were arrested last month. “After the Israel Police and the Shin Bet tried to implicate us unsuccessfully, and instead of the defense minister dealing with the enemies of Israel, he trying to pull votes from the left and fighting Lehava, which works to save Jewish women and deserves to receive the Israel Prize.” 

Gopshtain and several other activists were arrested on vague suspicions of “incitement,” which the court threw out in ruling that Lehava’s activities in combating assimilation – which is forbidden by Jewish law – are completely legal.