Against the backdrop of the political storm surrounding Justice Minister Yariv Levin's plan to reform the judicial system, the Knesset factions gathered Monday for their weekly meetings. Opposition member, Benny Gantz, harshly attacked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and claimed that his government was committing "terror against the legal system." Netanyahu replied that "we received a mandate from the public to carry out what we promised in the elections."
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spoke at his faction's meeting, saying: "Last week we started implementing the policy we promised the public and for which we were elected. We are not waiting. And I think we already know, we established a different government, with a different policy and we intend to conduct ourselves differently both with the economy, Foreign affairs, security, Iran, in transportation, the legal sector, and in education."
“If you continue on the path you are following, you will be responsible for civil war in Israeli society.”
— MintPress News (@MintPressNews) January 9, 2023
- Former Israeli War Minister Benny Gantz on the Netanyahu administration's judicial reform plan. pic.twitter.com/j71I6KiL1u
"We received a clear mandate from the public to carry out what we promised in the elections and we will do so," he added, "this is the essence of democracy - it is the realization of the voter's will. We are not frightened by the one-sided media campaign against us, and we do not flinch in the face of the incitement that is raging against us. The silence of the opposition - in the face of the display of hatred that presents the Minister of Justice as an SS officer, and compares the Israeli government to the Third Reich is disgraceful."
Benny Gantz during his faction meeting said: "In recent days it is clear that Prime Minister Netanyahu does not want a balanced judicial system. It is clear that he wants to take advantage of a momentary majority and ignite a struggle between the tribes in Israeli society, it is clear they decided to press the gas pedal and terrorize the legal and democratic system. I want to add, those who represent a majority that opposes the coup d'état, will not reach the Knesset committees as poor men who are wooing at the gates, if we do not reach agreements Netanyahu and his partners will lose their legitimacy in most parts of Israeli society, and among his partners as well.”
and after former Def Min Gantz says that judicial reform plan will lead to ‘civil war’; urges Israeli masses to take to the streets - Netanyahu describes his comments as "sedition" https://t.co/3oqeB1QEeu
— Tal Schneider טל שניידר تال شنايدر (@talschneider) January 9, 2023
Bezalel Smotrich, the head of Religious Zionism added in his meeting just after Netanyahu: "We are witnessing a wild attack by various personalities against Minister Levin, and it is sad when harsh words and threats of fratricidal war come from the highest levels. From time immemorial, then and today, the nationalistic camp has said no to fratricidal war. I suggest that everyone immediately stop the heated and inciting discourse."
