Gantz: Netanyahu dragging country to new elections to avoid trial

Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz calls on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to make every effort to prevent violence at tomorrow’s pro-Netanyahu rally called in response to last week’s announcement of indictments against the premier.

“In a democracy, the freedom to protest and to express your opinions is central and must be protected. But I call on Netanyahu and all the participants to protect and preserve the rule of law and to do everything they can to avoid and prevent the use of any violence whatsoever,” Gantz says, speaking at the opening of his faction meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem.

Gantz says that Netanyahu is “dragging the country to new elections” in order to protect himself from the criminal charges against him.

“He is again trying to bring us to elections for one reason: his legal situation,” the Blue and White chairman charges.

Speaking after Gantz, Lapid accuses Netanyahu of inciting violence in his efforts to denounce the indictments.

“Avichai Mandelblit has personal security. The state prosecutor, Shai Nitzan, has personal security. Taxation and economic crimes prosecutor Liat Ben Ari has personal security. They are facing death threats. There’s no question what the reason is, it’s clear. Netanyahu is inciting against them. They need security because otherwise his people will hurt them. That’s what we’ve come to,” Lapid says.

Lapid continues: “He lost the election. He has three serious indictments. He’s inciting to violence. In what country in the world could a person like that stay even one day in office?”

— Raoul Wootliff