(JNS) Israeli officials from across the political spectrum on Wednesday, April 3 criticized the previous night’s anti-government demonstration in Jerusalem in which protesters called to “burn down the country” and attempted to storm Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s official residence.
“Unity is the key to our future. We cannot accept violence from any side. We cannot accept people ignoring police instructions and breaking through barriers,” said War Cabinet member Benny Gantz.
While describing the protests as “legitimate,” he emphasized that “the law and rules must be kept.”
Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) chief Ronen Bar issued a rare warning: “The violent discourse online and some of the scenes we saw in Jerusalem go beyond acceptable protest, harm the ability to maintain public order, could lead to violent clashes with law enforcement and cause harm to individuals.
“There is a clear line between legitimate and illegal protest. This worrying trend could lead to dangerous places,” he added.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called on the Shin Bet to “wake up immediately and take seriously the security of the prime minister of Israel and his family.
“A situation where thousands of people break into the area of the Prime Minister’s Residence while the agency turns a blind eye is unacceptable,” Ben-Gvir said.
The protest on Tuesday night began with thousands of people gathering outside the Knesset in a scene reminiscent of the demonstrations against the government’s now-shelved judicial reform initiative.
“My message is elections now,” former Prime Minister Ehud Barak, one of the main speakers at the rally, told JNS on Tuesday night. “These demonstrations are to protest what is happening with the hostages, the draft law which the government is trying to pass [regarding ultra-Orthodox conscription] and the Knesset which instead of working when we have people [captive] in Gaza is [going to recess].”
After the main protest dispersed on Tuesday, some demonstrators broke through police cordons and marched on Netanyahu’s residence in the Rehavia neighborhood.
