Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement last night in response to the protests that took place during the day against the government’s planned judicial reforms and the clashes with the police in Tel Aviv.
“The freedom of demonstration is not a license to plunge the country into anarchy, because a sovereign country cannot tolerate anarchy. In a democracy there are clear rules on how to conduct debate and there are red lines that must not be crossed. The red line – the sharp and clear line is a complete ban on violence and anarchy,” Netanyahu said. He added that rioters, whether in Huwara, or Tel Aviv will not be tolerated.
Netanyahu recalled the controversy of the 2005 Disengagement plan: “We didn’t cross red lines then. The opposition led by me behaved responsibly then. Today, unfortunately, the opposition opposes irresponsibly. A certain party leader fuels the demonstrations and aims to cause a constitutional crisis in the hope that it will lead to the collapse of the government.”
Opponents of the judicial reforms yesterday declared a “Day of National Disruptions,” with protesters shutting down traffic into Jerusalem on Route 1 in the morning. In Tel Aviv, protesters disrupted train service and barred passengers from boarding or exiting trains at HaHaganah Station. 39 rioters were arrested and 11 people were injured when the anti-judicial reform protests in Tel Aviv turned violent in the afternoon.
No good will come of the left’s protests and what is now progressively becoming more violent. They have every opportunity to sit down – like mensches – and discuss their concerns but we’ve not seen that happen yet. Just yesterday, as she was getting a haircut, Sara Netanyahu was escorted by her security detail due to thousands of protestors hurling threats outside the salon. We do not wish to see Israelis become terrorists – especially against their own – but their anger is so deep and increasing in intensity that it seems that they might be headed this way. We pray saniity prevails before any more damage is done.
Sources:
Netanyahu: We won’t accept riots in Huwara or in Tel Aviv, by Israel National News, March 1, 2023