[2] Ben-Ari grew up in the Kfar Shalem neighbourhood in south Tel Aviv, born to Mizrahi Jewish parents from Iran and Afghanistan.

In 2009, in an open letter to Israeli leaders and politicians, Ben-Ari stated that Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Israel would be an insult to the memory of Holocaust victims.

[9][10] Unlike his teacher, Rabbi Meir Kahane, who was marginalized and isolated as a member of Knesset, Ben Ari has succeeded in integrating himself into Israel's political arena.

[11] Ben-Ari's November 2009 United States visa application was denied on the grounds of his arrest during anti-disengagement protests in 2005[12] and his support for Kahanist ideology.

Throughout the 18th Knesset session, he struggled to bring attention to the growing number of Sudanese he blamed for increasing crime rates and other residents' problems.

In June 2011, to draw attention to what he saw as the ever-increasing illegal alien problem, he bused 40 Sudanese nationals to a prestigious pool in northern Tel Aviv, provided them with new bathing suits and paid for their entrance.

Ben Ari called it provocative, and subsequently tore his copy, referring to it as a despicable book responsible for the murder of millions of Jews, and which should, including the senders, be put in "history's trash can".

"[23] On 1 June 2009, Ben-Ari was handcuffed and arrested after being involved in an incident near Yitzhar in the West Bank despite his parliamentary immunity as Member of Knesset.

[26] Yitzhak Aharonovich, the Internal Security Minister, justified the arrest, despite Ben Ari's parliamentary immunity, saying that he will not let MKs violate the law.

It was reported that a letter from the Chief of General Staff's office stated that the IDF expects elected officials and public representatives not to fan the flames and to abide by instructions from the security forces.

[32][33] After an appeal by the Meretz party, the Supreme Court of Israel banned Ben-Ari from running in the election due to his extremist political views.