Suspect arrested for threatening Meretz MK on social media

Police on Thursday arrested a man suspected of making online threats against Meretz MK Gaby Lasky.

The suspect was identified as a 32-year-old resident of the central city of Petah Tikva. He was due to appear before a court for a remand hearing.

The arrest came a day after Lasky said she was informed by the Knesset Guard that it had filed a police complaint over death threats made on social media against the left-wing lawmaker. Police said they launched “an intensive and speedy” investigation after receiving the complaint.

“For years incitement against the left has been allowed and not received a fitting response — until the next disaster,” the Meretz MK tweeted Wednesday.

“It’s not the first time I’ve been threatened because of my struggle to end the occupation,” added Lasky, a human rights lawyer, referring to Israeli military control in the West Bank. “Don’t get it twisted — I won’t stop my just fight for peace and ending the occupation.”

On Wednesday, police launched an investigation into a man from northern Israel suspected of threatening to murder Prime Minister Yair Lapid. Last week, the Walla news site said the premier’s wife, Lihi Lapid, received messages wishing that her family would suffer violent death or terminal cancer.

Lapid’s predecessor Naftali Bennett and his family were also subject of death threats when he was in office, as were other members of their government. Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu also faced threats when he was prime minister.