Amid probe of his aides, Netanyahu attacks ‘leftist Deep State’ in the US and Israel
Herzog issues rare rebuttal to PM, defends Israel’s judiciary as ‘asset to our democracy’; Lapid says Netanyahu has ‘gone off the rails,’ is in a ‘dangerous and embarrassing panic’
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday slammed the so-called “Deep State” in a post on his official “prime minister” X account, harnessing some of the same rhetoric used by US President Donald Trump to dismiss his critics.
“In America and in Israel, when a strong right-wing leader wins an election, the leftist Deep State weaponizes the justice system to thwart the people’s will. They won’t win in either place! We stand strong together,” Netanyahu posted in English from his official account.
Less than a half hour after the tweet was posted, Netanyahu deleted it from his official account and posted the same message from his personal account.
The statement came shortly after police announced Wednesday that they detained and questioned under caution two suspects as part of an ongoing investigation into whether thousands of dollars were funneled from Qatar to one or more of Netanyahu’s aides. Hebrew media reported early Thursday morning that one of the suspects was released home under unspecified conditions, while the second continued to be interrogated.
Earlier this week, the Axios news site quoted aides to the prime minister saying that Netanyahu decided to move ahead with his planned firing of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar in early February, after leaving his trip to Washington inspired by the moves Trump took “against the deep state” and his appointment of loyalists to key posts.
The plans to fire Bar as well as Attorney General Gali-Baharav-Miara, coupled with the government’s effort to renew highly controversial legislation to increase political power over the judiciary, and the resumption of airstrikes in Gaza — leaving the fate of hostages held by Hamas uncertain — sparked major anti-government protests in Jerusalem Wednesday.
In America and in Israel, when a strong right wing leader wins an election, the leftist Deep State weaponizes the justice system to thwart the people's will. They won't win in either place!
We stand strong together.— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) March 19, 2025
While customarily meant to remain outside of political arguments, President Isaac Herzog’s office offered a rebuttal to Netanyahu’s post, writing on X, “Israel’s strong and independent judicial system is an asset to our democracy, and the president of Israel is very proud of it.”
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid party accused Netanyahu of having “completely lost it,” in response to the post.
“He’s gone off the rails” and is “spreading dangerous conspiracies, undermining the rule of law, and slandering Israel,” the centrist party posted from its official X account. “He is in panic mode. He knows that his inner circle is mired in foreign interests and that the truth will be revealed. This is not leadership, this is a dangerous and embarrassing panic.”
Several hours after tweeting against the “deep state,” Netanyahu published a campaign-like social media video expounding in Hebrew on the term.
“They want me and the government to be a potted plant [and not do anything],” Netanyahu says, pointing to a plant in a Prime Minister’s Office corridor.
“The deep state is the permanent bureaucracy that is barely replaced and sits deep in the Israeli government, and decides that it knows better than the voters,” the premier responds. “They always lean to the left. If a right-wing government is elected… they say, ‘What is democracy? Why should they make the decisions? Why should we care that you were elected? We make the decisions. And therefore, you can be elected, but you can’t really decide. You want to bring laws we don’t like? We’ll strike them down.’”
The clip, which features the song “Unstoppable” by Sia, then ends mid-sentence.
רה״מ נתניהו (וטופז לוק) בסרטון חדש נגד ״הדיפסטייט״, כשברקע Unstoppable של סיה pic.twitter.com/jc3txQBJDU
— Suleiman Maswadeh סולימאן מסוודה (@SuleimanMas1) March 19, 2025
‘We will decide’
Also Wednesday, Hebrew media reported that Netanyahu and other ministers berated Baharav-Miara and the legal establishment during Tuesday night’s cabinet meeting, when ministers met to reappoint far-right politician Itamar Ben Gvir as national security minister.
Ministers approved Ben Gvir’s return to the role despite opposition from Baharav-Miara, who had advised Netanyahu that doing so would not be possible from a legal perspective.
“Trump didn’t believe when he heard about the depth of the deep state in Israel, which is as deep as the ocean,” Netanyahu was cited as saying by the Kan public broadcaster.
“You, the enlightened ones, say to yourselves, what, the baboons are allowed to choose? Let the shop clerk decide? You are the ones exalted above the people,” Netanyahu reportedly said, according to quotes reported by Channel 13 news.
“I heard we are going to cancel the elections. This is ridiculous of course. But what value is there to elections in Israel anyway? Here, I am saying it, it’s over. We will decide who will be appointed as ministers,” he reportedly added.
According to Kan, the premier also spoke to the cabinet about the advancement of the judicial overhaul, despite a court ruling in 2022 that prohibits Netanyahu from involving himself in most matters pertaining to the judiciary due to his ongoing criminal trial.
“They tell me I’m not allowed to talk about it, but here I am, daring to,” Netanyahu was said to add.
The Prime Minster’s Office called the Kan report “inaccurate,” saying that Netanyahu “reiterated things he has said many times over the years about the need for balance between the three branches of government.”
Other ministers also joined in on the attack against the attorney general.
“Even the High Court of Justice looks like a restrained body compared to the situation in which the attorney general brought her advice,” Justice Minister Yariv Levin was quoted as saying by Channel 13.
“What are you doing here? Are you the Knesset? You approve ministers? How is this connected to you?” asked Levin, according to Kan, which also reported that Shlomo Karhi claimed Baharav-Miara has “a conflict of interest. We should have removed you a long time ago and we will do it soon.”
In response, Baharav-Miara reportedly answered: “I present the legal situation to you. The prime minister should have a conversation with me regarding the appointment of Ben Gvir to national security minister. Until then he can be appointed to another ministerial role.”
The Times of Israel Community.