PM: Lapid should speak out against incitement against me, ‘he doesn’t do anything’

Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to Channel 14 news, on July 15, 2024. (Channel 14: used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to Channel 14 news, on July 15, 2024. (Channel 14: used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

Speaking to Channel 14, Benjamin Netanyahu says Opposition Leader Yair Lapid should publicly denounce incitement against the prime minister and his family. “I would expect him to act like I acted, to come out against these things. When I was the opposition leader, I came out against these things. He doesn’t do anything.”

He also says he expected Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and law enforcement officials “to act against these crimes that risk [leading to] political assassination.”

Netanyahu has been highlighting the incitement issue since the assassination attempt against presidential candidate Donald Trump.

On Saturday’s strike against Hamas military leader Muhammad Deif, Netanyahu says, “There are interesting indications” that the attack was successful. “I don’t want to say anything categorical until we receive more information.”

Netanyahu insists that the strike will make a hostage release deal more likely: “Hamas is weak. The more you strike it, you move the deal forward. That is what has changed….after months where it thought it was safe. It sees it is not safe. The IDF went with strength into the Philadelphi Route, it conquered the Rafah Crossing, killed hundreds of terrorists there, killed hundreds of terrorists in the central Gaza Strip. This pressure, and the firm stance of the political echelon, mine, is slowly bringing them to change, to surrender, or at least to show flexibility.”

“We have to increase the pressure now,” he continues. “The more we increase the pressure, then we will be able to release the maximum number of hostages in the first stage, while also moving us toward our goal of eliminating Hamas.”

Netanyahu pledges that Israel will remain on the Philadelphi Route, despite Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s recent statements that a deal would allow Israeli troops to withdraw from the Egypt-Gaza border.

Most Popular