10 Jan. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, criticized on Tuesday the statements of a deputy from Otzma Yehudit, an extreme right-wing Israeli party that is part of the ruling coalition, after a scuffle with several members of the opposition.
“In a democratic country we do not arrest the leaders of the opposition,” he said during a conversation with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, adding that they do not call ministers “Nazis” or a Jewish government “the Third Reich.” “Nor do we encourage civil disobedience among citizens,” he said.
These words come after Zvika Fogel, a deputy from the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, led by Itamar Ben Gvir –Minister of National Security– has called on Tuesday for the arrest of opposition leaders during an interview with the Kan radio station for talking about a “war” in the framework of the judicial reform announced by the Executive.
Fogel was referring to the comments of former Defense Minister Benny Gantz, leader of the National Unity party, who on the eve called on the population to demonstrate against the measure proposed by Netanyahu.
“Go out and fight for what you believe in: against the demolition of democracy,” Gantz said, adding that it is “time to shake the country” as judicial reform would lead to “civil war within Israeli society.”
After these cross criticisms, the former prime minister of Israel Yair Lapid, leader of Yesh Atid, later charged Fogel and explained that “this is how democracy collapses in a single day”, also alluding to the protests that took place on Saturday in Tel Aviv, in which, according to the organizers, at least 20,000 people participated.
In fact, the Minister of National Security, the far-right Itamar Ben Gvir, met this Tuesday with senior police officers after the protests on Saturday and before the new call, scheduled for this weekend. In said meeting, the high officials of the Police have transmitted to Ben Gvir his intention to act with moderation in the face of the new demonstrations.
Ben Gvir heated up this week in Israeli politics, saying yesterday that it was necessary to arrest those protesters who block traffic and roads, in addition to using water cannons against protesters.
