Herzog warns toxic political discourse tearing country apart

President Isaac Herzog warns that the escalating political discourse in Israel risks tearing the country apart.

Speaking at the Higher Education Conference in Herzliya, Herzog blasts “disparaging and humiliating treatment toward hostage families.” Families of hostages held in Gaza have been threatened online, harassed verbally, and pushed around by police at demonstrations.

The president also pans “accusing the head of the Shin Bet and the IDF Chief of Staff of treason and an attempted coup, accusing the Attorney General of being an enemy of the state that is trying to kill us, and threats of firing all day long.”

On Sunday, members of the government attacked Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara for perceived leniency toward anti-government protesters. Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi called for her to be fired while invoking principles of Jewish law associated with attempted murder to justify his position.

Herzog also lambasted anti-Netanyahu demonstrators for firing flares at the prime minister’s home, and for accusing him of treason.

“The physical and verbal violence – towards the Attorney General, towards the head of the Shin Bet, towards the IDF Chief of Staff, towards the Prime Minister – is simply horrifying,” laments Herzog.

“What the hell is happening to us?” he asks. “Does this make sense? Haven’t we suffered enough? Haven’t we already understood that this harms the country’s security?”

“Don’t we understand that this is how you break up a country?” he continues, calling the incidents “absolute madness” that must be stopped.

“There are those who sacrifice themselves for the country, and pay with their lives every day,” says Herzog. “And there are those who are destroying the country, and I pledge that I will fight them with all my might.”

“I warn you – you are destroying the country. This madness must be stopped now.”