Man arrested for incitement after carrying sign calling for attorney general’s death

A Jerusalem resident was arrested Thursday morning for incitement against Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, the Israel Police said.

Hebrew media shared video footage from the police of the incident that led to his arrest. In the clip, a man dressed in ultra-Orthodox garb holds a sign reading “Lord of the universe, kill Gali Baharav-Miara and her supporters,” which he actively shows to passersby.

The incident took place in the middle of a busy street across from the Jerusalem Central Bus Station.

Police were reportedly seeking to have the suspect held in custody after apprehending him earlier in the morning.

Since the government entered office two years ago, it has repeatedly been at odds with Baharav-Miara, especially in relation to its controversial judicial overhaul, elements of which she sought to stop because they allegedly undermined democracy.

A growing number of coalition lawmakers and government ministers have recently called for Baharav-Miara’s ouster due to frustration with her refusal to defend various controversial measures the government seeks to advance that she fears would be against the law, and the coalition has even looked to take steps to have her dismissed.

However, on Wednesday, the opposition defeated a coalition resolution that would have forced the holding of a special hearing in the plenum to discuss firing the attorney general.

Members of the government have recently accused the attorney general of incitement against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, claiming she was too lenient toward anti-government protesters who fired flares at his Caesarea home last month.

Meanwhile, members of the coalition have been accused of inciting against Baharav-Miara.

In one such case, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi said that “the attorney general must go home,” adding, “If someone comes to kill you — including through weakness and agreement through silence — rise up and fire them,” paraphrasing a line from the Talmud about self-defense: “If someone comes to kill you, rise up and kill them first.”

Otzma Yehudit MK Zvika Fogel said in an interview on Tuesday that Baharav-Miara was leading a “process so dangerous that I don’t know where it will end.”

The only way to stop it, he said was to fire her because “in her position as the government’s attorney general, she is betraying the State of Israel.”

Speaking about Thursday’s arrest with Army Radio, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who has been one of Baharav-Miara’s biggest critics and was the first last year to openly call for her dismissal, said that he didn’t see any connection between Fogel’s comments and the sign.

However, he also criticized the sign holder, saying: “I disagree with her deeply, but not a single hair on her head is to be harmed, and I will be the first to ensure that.”