Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday condemned what he called an “assault” on a fellow Likud lawmaker during a party event disrupted by protesters, warning that escalating incitement against members of his coalition could end in bloodshed.
The unrest broke out late Saturday at a toast-raising event in the central city of Kfar Saba, where demonstrators forced their way inside, disrupted the gathering and hurled banknotes at MK Eli Dallal, who fell to the ground in the commotion.
Likud MK falls to the ground as protesters gather around him outside a party event in Kfar Saba
(Video: from social media)
Netanyahu said he had spoken to Dallal and “expressed shock at the assault against him,” according to a statement from his office. “The Prime Minister called on the Israel Police to bring the attackers to justice and warned about the wild incitement against members of the coalition,” the statement said. “If the law-enforcement authorities do not put an end to these dangerous occurrences, blood will eventually be on their hands.”
Protesters denied physically attacking Dallal, saying he tripped on his own. In an interview with Channel 14, Dallal acknowledged he was not pushed but said he felt “as if I was being lynched” when the crowd closed in on him. “I literally saw murder in their eyes,” he told the Ynet, calling the incident “a red line” and urging police to improve protection for lawmakers at public events.
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Netanyahu and the banknotes being thrown at MK Dallal
(photo: משנים כיוון, Meshanim Kivun)
Coalition members condemned the incident, with Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana describing Dallal, 70, as “one of the most moderate and charming there are” and blasting demonstrators as “filthy ‘democratic’ scumbags.”
Police Commissioner Dani Levi ordered a review of security preparations after the incident, saying police “will not allow harm to the fabric of life of elected officials.” Authorities said four protesters were arrested.
The protest was organized by the Meshanim Kivun movement, which said in a statement that “anyone watching the video can see that no protester touched him. We will continue to act decisively and nonviolently to replace this government of destruction, neglect and coup. The only one who acted violently was Eli Dallal’s aide, who chose to assault a police officer."