Likud MK Tally Gotliv on Sunday accused Supreme Court Chief Justice Esther Hayut of fomenting Friday's fatal terrorist car-ramming attack in Jerusalem, which killed three people, including two children.
"I blame the Supreme Court chief justice for the terror attack. I blame her for the chaos in Israel, and for destroying democracy and the rule of law," Gotliv wrote in an incensed Twitter post overnight Sunday.
She further wrote that Hayut "stoked fear of the right-wing government, not the [judicial] reform" and that Hayut regards "all means are good on the way to overthrowing a right-wing government."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flatly rejected the comment made by the fellow member of his ruling party.
"The Palestinian terrorist, and no one else, is to blame for the terror attack," he stated.
Gotliv's tweet sparked backlash across the board, even from some right-wing lawmakers who called on her to remove the post.
The right-wing firebrand doubled down on her remarks and accused Hayut of stoking divisions and making Israel's enemies happy.
"Mrs. Chief Justice. Understand this. You have a responsibility, just as I do. When you stoke fears over legitimate actions of a right-wing government, using very harsh words, when you turn half the nation against the other half - you make our enemies happy," Gotliv added.
"In doing so, you are stirring up chaos within us and certainly provoking the terrorists among us to wreak havoc here."
In an interview on Sunday morning, prior to the prime minister's statement, Gotliv refused to retract her statements.
"Chief Justice Hayut has specifically incited the situation we have found ourselves in," she said. "Our political situation, our social situation, in front of our enemies, she awakens them from their slumber."
Despite Netanyahu's repudiation of Gotliv's accusations, the fiery rhetoric did find favor with some far-right elements in the government. Jerusalem and Heritage Minister Amihai Eliyahu backed the accusations and said that the Supreme Court was in part to blame for the attack.