Two arrested for threatening judges,
Supreme Court President Miriam Naor: Such behavior is a danger to democracy
Police arrested two suspects on Thursday morning in Jerusalem and Kiryat Gat on suspicion of inciting against the panel of three IDF judges who convicted Sgt. Elor Azaria of manslaughter on Wednesday. This comes as a general uptick in calls for violence is being seen by police on social media, especially Facebook.
Police said that the Jerusalem suspect, 54, expressed “extreme criticisms” of the judges. The suspect will be brought to the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, where police are seeking to extend his remand.
Supreme Court President Miriam Naor issued a statement on Thursday that the current rhetoric is a danger to democracy.
“The military court system is an independent judicial system, and the legitimate way achieve legal rulings,” she said. “Relevant criticism of legal rulings is of course legitimate, but what is happening now crosses the borders of legitimate discourse and is a danger to the rule of law and democracy.”
Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit, meanwhile, said Thursday that he approved opening an investigation into the Azaria supporters who chanted “Gadi, watch out. Rabin is looking for a friend,” outside the courthouse on Wednesday. The protesters were referring to IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gadi Eisenkot, who has said that Azaria’s actions were unethical.
In Kiryat Gat, a 22-year-old suspect was arrested for issuing threats against Judge Col. Maya Heller on Facebook on Wednesday. Allegedly she called on Heller to be blown up by a grenade and “eaten by dogs.” The suspect was released and banned from posting on Facebook for 30 days.
Heller, who read the nearly three-hour-long court decision against Azaria, appears to be taking the brunt of social media backlash and threats. Lt.-Col. Yaron Sitbon and Lt.-Col. Carmel Wahabi, who completed the three-judge panel, have also been subjected to threats on social media. All three judges and the prosecution were placed under enhanced security details in light of the threats.
“We are monitoring social networks, based on the information that is being put out and individuals calling for violence or incitement to violence,” police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told The Jerusalem Post, who added that field operations are taking place to locate and detain any suspects.
“Freedom of expression is a leg of democracy,” the Lakhish District Police said in a statement, adding that “the police will act harshly against those that exceed the limits [of expression] permitted to ensure justice.”
In a statement the Jerusalem Police Department said they “would not allow any incitement to violence against government institutions.”
Meanwhile, Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein was updated by the head Knesset police officer, Asst.-Ch. Yossef Jariff, that there was a worrying escalation in incitement against MKs in social networks following the Azaria verdict.
“Calls of incitement to hurt MKs are wrong, and could cause real damage. The incitement we’ve seen yesterday against the IDF chief of staff, our commander in chief, and against the military court judges, shock everyone who lives in the State of Israel,” Edelstein said. “I expect all of us, from public representatives and opinion leaders, to defy unambiguously this kind of incitement while upholding freedom of speech.”
Udi Shaham and Jerusalem Post staff contributed to this report.