Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir was interviewed early Wednesday by Israeli radio hosts, and referred to his policy regarding claims of treason of left-wing demonstrations against him, as well as to the statement of a member of his party, Zvika Fogel, who claimed that "Lapid and Gantz should be arrested for treason."
Ben Gvir began his statements by saying "Yair Golan talks about Civil revolt, Boogie Ya'alon talks about refusing military orders. If it was the other way around, what would they say?โ He then spoke of his party member Zvika Fogel saying โhe is a hero of Israel and I love him, but I don't think he should have said the His statements. We do not arrest political opponents. I say explicitly, this is not our way."
Police told Itamar Ben Gvir they will not change policy around peaceful protest & bring water cannons to Saturday's Tel Aviv rally. They agreed to take a tougher line on those brandishing Nazi symbols but not those carrying Palestinian flags as "there is no legal basis." #week2 https://t.co/Oxbv9S4n8l
โ Noga Tarnopolsky ื ืื ืืจื ืืคืืืกืงื ููุบุง ุชุฑููุจููุณูู (@NTarnopolsky) January 10, 2023
When asked about the protests in Tel Aviv last weekend in which comparisons to Nazism were made, the minister said "I don't understand it, to stand in Tel Aviv with Nazi symbols, to call out and attack [Yariv] Levin. Instead of the media talking about Lapid and Gantz setting the country on fire, let's stop this self-righteousness," he added, "I don't like to define politicians as traitors. But why was Levin pictured in an SS uniform? Why am I the most threatened politician in the country today? Yair Lapid, Yair Golan, and Ehud Barak incite against the government all the time."
Whoever blocks a road or riots should be arrested. The law enforcement against the Left should be the same as it is against the right.
โ Avraham Israeli Zionist ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐จ๐ฆ (@IsraeliAvraham) January 9, 2023
Ben Gvir criticizes police for not making arrests during left-wing protest https://t.co/HBjUf8QDd4
He was then asked whether the police should not act with restraint in the face of protesters, and he replied: "I restate my words and I stand behind them, there will be no situation in which there is justice for one type of protester and none for another type of protester, it cannot be that the police will come and there will be demonstrations of the left where they are 'wrapped in cotton' and allow them to riot.โ He then noted โI'm in favor of the maximum level of freedom of speech. I say, let's all demonstrate responsibility, protest as much as possible, freedom of expression is the lifeblood of democracy," noted Minister Ben Gvir.
I like the way this new Israeli right wing government has immediately put into place new laws for dealing with the Palestinians.All this thanks to Smotrich&Ben Gvir who are not afraid to install laws that the left wing would never have done. https://t.co/b9r9VU5r8m
โ David Shapiro (@shapiro40) January 9, 2023
At the end of the radio broadcast interview, Ben Gvir was asked about the American concern that "The expansion of the settlements will not contribute to the two-state solution", to which Ben Gvir said, โwe hear them and appreciate them, but there is a state of Israel, an independent state, the people chose and the time has come for everyone to understand this, the people elected a right-wing government with a right-wing agenda, this is the agenda that the majority of the people want, to develop the settlement [of Judea and Samaria]."
The Police have said they will not bring water cannons and squash the protests, however they will clamp down on Nazi symbols, but there is no legal basis to clamp down on Palestinian Flags.
