Netanyahu Slams Shin Bet Boss

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted the director of the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) Director Nadav Argaman on Sunday for issuing a rare public warning sounding alarm bells that the current atmosphere of incitement could lead to tragic bloodshed in Israel.

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Without mentioning the Shin Bet head who he appointed by name, Netanyahu complained of a double standard in which critical statements by figures on the Right are considered incitement, while those of the Left are seen as legitimate.

"We condemn all incitement and violence from all sides, even when the other side is silent when the incitement against us flares up," Netanyahu told the Likud faction in the Knesset.

"Incitement is a call for violence. For a long time, there have been such horrible calls, including clear calls to murder me and my family that have been met with silence in the public discourse and in the press." 

Netanyahu said a fine line must be drawn between incitement to violence, which he said was unacceptable, and freedom of expression that is not incitement. He complained about the closing of Facebook and Twitter accounts of critics of the government that is being formed to replace him. 

"We are witnessing the worst election deception in the history of the state," he said.

"People justifiably believe that they have been tricked. Their mouths cannot be forced shut."  

He said that expressing opposition to the new government being formed in a legal and democratic manner was both a right and an obligation.

Knesset Speaker Yariv Levin told the MKs at the faction meeting: "Our responsibility is to ensure that our discourse will be respectful and free of all incitement, unlike what has been done to Netanyahu over the years.

This article has been adapted from its original source.