Zionist Union Chairman Herzog and Prime Minister Netanyahu face off as the opposition chief demands that the PM condemn incitement against President Reuven Rivlin, while Netanyahu demands that Herzog condemn the Breaking the Silence group.
Opposition Chairman Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced off on Wednesday as they sharply attacked each other while addressing a session of Knesset.
Herzog, speaking after a speech by Netanyahu about poverty, accused the prime minister of failing to protect President Reuven Rivlin against dangerous incitement.
“I demand that you call on the head of the Shin Bet and instruct him to increase security for our president,” said Herzog.
“I demand that you call on the police commissioner and instruct him to arrest the inciters. I demand that you, the prime minister, protect our president.” He compared the statements against the president to incitement against former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin before he was assassinated, adding that “this time you won’t be able to claim that you didn’t know anything about it.”
Rivlin, whose participation in a Haaretz conference in the US that was also attended by Breaking the Silence members was criticized in some quarters – despite his stated opposition to the group – was recently referred to as “Fuhrer Rivlin” in an online post by the father of a Jewish terror suspect. Hagai Amir, brother of Rabin’s assassin Yigal Amir, published a post recently in which he predicted that God would punish Rivlin for his ideas.
Netanyahu returned to the podium following Herzog’s comments and condemned attacks against Rivlin. “I am opposed to any violent discourse about the president,” said the prime minister. “But I will at the same time protect the right of each and every one of us to express his opinion.
“Herzog, I have a request of you,” continued Netanyahu. “I ask that you decisively condemn the Breaking the Silence organization, which slanders the IDF and vilifies Israel,” said the prime minister, prompting cheers from several MKs.
Herzog then returned to the podium, reiterating that Netanyahu did not condemn incitement against Rivlin – also drawing applause from many of those present.
The clash continued on Facebook. A post on Netanyahu’s page demanded that Herzog condemn Breaking the Silence, leading Herzog to post: “Bibi, in demagoguery you get a score of 10. But a prime minister is not a parrot. There is a country to be managed.”
As reported by Ynetnews