Middle East Monitor / March 9, 2020
The Guard of the Israeli Knesset has increased security for Blue and White Chief Benny Gantz after threats against his life were posted online, local media reported yesterday.
Gantz said that he had told the Knesset Guard that he had been threatened with murder by a number of Israeli activists.
The Knesset Guard decided to add two extra bodyguards for Gantz after revealing that he was verbally attacked before delivering a speech on Saturday night.
According to the Times of Israel, Gantz accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s supporters of being behind the threats.
One of the posts called for murdering Gantz in the same way as former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who was assassinated in 1995.
Gantz accused Netanyahu of encouraging hatred and posted a screenshot of a Facebook status that called “to murder Gantz in Rabin Square”. Then, he commented: “Netanyahu, stop the wild incitement. Do not say you did not know.”
“I will never allow you to sow hatred and ignite the first modern civil war in return for a ticket out of your trial. I will not allow you to turn man against his brother,” in reference to the upcoming court case against Netanyahu in which he has been charged with bribery and corruption.
