Netanyahu “strongly” condemns the attack by an ultra-Orthodox group against an Israeli Army general

Israeli Defense Minister says attackers ‘crossed a red line’ and calls for accountability

Jan. 10 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, “firmly” condemned this Friday the “scandalous” attack perpetrated on Thursday by a group of ultra-Orthodox against an Army general in Bnei Brak, on the outskirts of Tel Aviv, and has demanded that the responsible parties are held accountable before the courts.

“I strongly condemn the scandalous attack against General David Zini, a commander who dedicates his life to the security of Israel,” said Netanyahu, who stressed that “this is a violent, dangerous and shameful act that has no place in a rule of law”.

“I demand an immediate, rapid and exhaustive investigation, which brings those responsible to justice and guarantees that they endure punishment. We will fight against any manifestation of violence with zero tolerance,” he said in a message on his account on the social network X.

Along these lines, Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, has stated that the ultra-Orthodox responsible for the attack “crossed a red line”, amid condemnations of the incident due to tensions over the recruitment of members of this community.

“I strongly condemn the violent attack on General David Zini by a handful of extremist rioters in Bnei Brak. This is crossing a red line,” Katz said through his account on the social network X.

“It will not be accepted in any way that the commanders and soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), who dedicate their lives to the security of the country, are harmed,” he said, before adding that “the judicial authorities must act to bring the rioters to justice.”

Previously, the Israeli Army described the event as “serious” and expressed its support for Zini’s “important work” in “recruiting members of the ultra-Orthodox community,” according to the newspaper ‘The Times of Israel’.

“The IDF condemns any violent behavior against the military, who work day and night for the security of the State and its citizens,” he stressed after the event, in which dozens of ultra-Orthodox people attacked the general and one of his subordinates in a restaurant.