A former member of the Irgun, an early Zionist terrorist group, Avnery was elected to the Knesset in 1965. His experience as a soldier, as well as his journalistic career allowed him to critically asses the national narrative which prioritized Jewish supremacy, overlooking the rights and aspirations of Palestinians. He went onto form Gush Shalom in 1993 – which maintains that the occupation in the West Bank is illegal, and crimes are being committed against its inhabitants, on a daily basis.