Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on 24 July 2024 in Washington, DC. Photo: Drew Ungerer/AFP
Israeli Regional Cooperation Minister David Amsalem, a representative of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, said that Netanyahu’s detention by court order could lead to civil unrest and even physical confrontations between citizens. He said this in an interview with Galey Israel radio on Wednesday.
“This is a coup d’etat”
Amsalem expressed outrage at calls for Netanyahu to be jailed, calling such initiatives “nonsense”. “Every week there are new inventions. It’s crazy,” the minister said, commenting on a recent petition to the Supreme Court demanding Netanyahu’s removal over possible violations related to his ongoing trial.
“In my opinion, this is a real coup. It will lead to a civil war. At first, without weapons, but to physical conflicts between citizens. And it can escalate into something much worse,” Amsalem stressed.
Reaction to the petition
Earlier this month, the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Supreme Court considered a petition calling for Netanyahu’s extradition, but legal advisers found no grounds to support it.
“We will not allow this to happen,” Amsalem said categorically, expressing fears of mass protests if the prime minister is detained. “Imagine people blocking courts or preventing judges from entering. This is how democracies collapse,” he warned.
“Unacceptable scenario”
When Amsalem was asked about the possibility of Netanyahu’s detention by force, the minister compared it to a hypothetical situation in which Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai was detained on the street.
“Can anyone imagine masked men grabbing the chief of the Israeli police? It’s unbelievable. But this is the reality they are offering Netanyahu,” he explained.
Political implications
Netanyahu, who is currently on trial on corruption charges, denies all charges, calling them politically motivated. His supporters also criticise the judicial system, accusing it of having excessive influence on the country’s political sphere.
Amsalem concluded: “If this happens, it will be the end of democracy. We have to stop this scenario at all costs.”
