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Benjamin Netanyahu incites his followers
Photo: ABIR SULTAN / EPA
Israel's outgoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sharply attacked Prime Minister-designate Naftali Bennett. He described the planned coalition of Bennett's ultra-right Jamina party with seven other parties from all political camps as the “fraud of the century”. Netanyahu of the right-wing Likud party repeated his attacks on Sunday at a meeting of his faction. He condemns all agitation and violence, "even when the other side is agitating". The 71-year-old spoke of an "attempt to shut up the right-wing".
In an unusual statement, the head of the domestic secret service warned of bloodshed in view of the massive incitement to swearing in a new government in Israel.
In addition, a flag march planned for Thursday by nationalist Israelis in Jerusalem's old town, which also leads through the Muslim quarter, is fueling concerns about a new escalation of violence.
The Palestinian Vice-Governor of Jerusalem, Abduallah Siam, warned of an "explosion" in the city.
Pressure from supporters of Netanyahu
Netanyahu's supporters are exerting massive pressure to prevent the government from being sworn in.
Demonstrators cursed Bennett as a "traitor" and burned the portrait of the 49-year-old.
In view of this development, Bennett has received protection from the domestic intelligence service Schin Bet since Thursday.
"Lately we identify a reinforcement and serious radicalization of aggressive and inflammatory debates, especially in social networks," said Shin Bet boss Nadav Argaman on Saturday evening.
This could be interpreted as legitimizing violence and bloodshed.
Compare to the storm on the US Capitol
The Israeli news website ynet wrote that the current incitement is reminiscent of that before the murder of Prime Minister Izchak Rabin by a right-wing Jewish fanatic in November 1995. The well-known commentator Barak Ravid from the news site Walla compared the situation to the storming of the US Capitol Supporters of the elected US President Donald Trump in January. "There is a real threat to the orderly transfer of power in Israel," he said on Sunday.
The flag march planned for Thursday caused further tension.
The last march on the occasion of Jerusalem Day was canceled on May 10 because of rocket attacks by Hamas, which ruled the Gaza Strip, on the city.
Hamas called the attack a "message" and a response to Israel's actions on the Temple Mount and in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.
The Islamist group, classified by the EU and Israel as a terrorist organization, threatened new attacks in the event of new "violations" by Israel in Jerusalem.
Israel had conquered the Arab-dominated eastern part of Jerusalem in 1967.
The Palestinians see it as the future capital, while Israel claims all of Jerusalem as its capital.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz from the center alliance Blau-Weiß called for the march to be canceled for security reasons.
One of the organizers, Bezalel Smotrich of the religious Zionist party, accused Gantz of giving in to Hamas threats.
Future Party MP Ram Ben Barak said the event was aimed at sparking tension and thus thwarting the swearing-in of the new government.
The previous opposition leader Jair Lapid announced on Wednesday that he had formed a coalition.
Politicians from the right to the left and an Arab party should sit in the cabinet.
The coalition only has a wafer-thin majority of 61 of the 120 parliamentarians and fears possible renegades.
Vote on Wednesday at the earliest
The coalition partners are demanding that the parliamentary vote necessary for the swearing-in be held as soon as possible.
This is expected on Wednesday or the following Monday.
President Jariv Levin of Netanyahu's Likud wanted to set a date for a Knesset meeting on Monday.
The recent escalation of violence between Israel and militant Palestinian organizations in the Gaza Strip initially interrupted coalition negotiations by the anti-Netanyahu camp.
During the 11-day armed conflict in May, 13 people died in Israel and 254 in Gaza.
According to media reports, Hamas has threatened new protests on the border with Israel if payments in the millions for Gaza from Qatar are not resumed by the end of the week.
kah / dpa
