The chairman of the state camp, MK Benny Gantz, participated in a demonstration held today (Wednesday) against the expected dismissal of Shin Bet head Ronen Bar.
During the event, he was attacked with chants of "traitor" and "betrayed our son" from a handful of people in the audience. Gantz lost his composure - and confronted them.
In a statement he issued after the demonstration, Gantz sharply condemned the attackers: "Today I went out to the important demonstration against the dismissal of the head of the Shin Bet. I was received with sympathy by many of the protesters who are Israeli patriots who care about the country. In the crowd there was also an unrepresentative handful of barn burners, who hate Netanyahu more than they love the country.".
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He was furious: "These are people who have no shame in calling me, who risked my life under fire for the country in uniform for decades, and for whom I have been fighting in the political arena for six years - a 'traitor'.".
Took him out of his mind: Gantz confronts protester who told him "You betrayed our son""@shemeshmicha pic.twitter.com/mQgvxxr8Ru
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He mentioned: "It shocked many when these were a handful of ultra-Orthodox extremists at the Western Wall, and it should shock every citizen now - not because of me, but because of the message to our society. Let's not get confused, no one is immune from criticism, including me. But even in the difficult days we are going through, we must remember - our mission is to unite Israeli society, to preserve democracy, and not to incite and hate.".
He emphasized: "This handful of extremists are no less dangerous than the extremists on the other side and I do not intend to surrender to them. I will continue on the path that is right for saving our country, precisely from this hatred, precisely from the extremist fringes that are dragging us down into a dangerous abyss.".
Democratic Party Chairman Yair Golan responded to him: "Barn burners? The protesters who took to the streets today are the greatest lovers of Israel I have met. Zionist citizens and patriots who are fighting with all their might to save the country, democracy and the lives of the kidnapped.".
The state camp responded to Yair Golan by saying: "Yair Golan is not only distorting Gantz's words, which emphasized the importance of the demonstration and the fact that most of the demonstrators are Israeli patriots - he is also ignoring the simple fact that Gantz went out to demonstrate.
""A public leader who normalizes calls for traitor and refusal alienates precisely the parts of the people who need to be brought together to replace this evil government, and encourages the violation of democratic values.".
""The last thing the State of Israel needs is the same thing that Netanyahu brought us - division between publics, lies, and extremism.".
