The Israel Police on Sunday announced that it had opened criminal investigations against Ze'ev Raz, one of the leaders of the Balfour protest and a former fighter pilot, and against lawyer and Yom Kippur War hero David Hodak for incitement to violence against the government.
Raz, a pilot who participated in the bombing of Iraq's nuclear reactor in 1981, called on Facebook on Saturday night for the assassination of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"If a sitting prime minister assumes dictatorial powers, this prime minister is bound to die, simply like that, along with his ministers and his followers," Raz wrote.
"Any incitement and violence only harms the fight to save this country. I call on all those who love this country to demonstrate, protest, take to the streets, but lawfully, do not incite violence of any kind."
Opposition leader Yair Lapid
He continued by arguing that Israel should integrate 'din rodef', a concept in Jewish law that allows for the killing of an individual who intends to kill or harm others and was notoriously used against assassinated prime minister Yizhak Rabin.
"My din rodef rules that if my country is taken over by a person, foreigner or Israeli, who leads it in an undemocratic manner, it is obligatory to kill him...it is better to kill the criminals first," Raz wrote.
Raz later apologized for his statements, writing on Facebook that "The post I posted here with the words din rodef was a quote from a person who retracted it, and I deleted it. I do not identify with that post."
Hodak said at an Israel Bar Association conference in Eilat that he would "have no choice but to use live fire" if forced to live in a dictatorship. Hodak also apologized on Sunday, writing on Twitter that while he opposed the government proposed judicial reforms, he opposed any form of violence and had not intended for his words to be taken literally.
The Shin-Bet and State Attorney's Office issued rare statements on Saturday night warning against the rise in severity of the public rhetoric.
Likud MK Hanoch Milvetsky filed a police complaint against Hodak last week, and Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi on Sunday morning filed a complaint against both Hodak and Raz. The police announced already on Saturday night that it was investigating Raz's post, and he was detained on Sunday morning for questioning in the Lahav 433 unit. He was later released to his home and the police said it had concluded its investigation.
The police also announced on Sunday that it had opened an investigation into Hodak. Hodak's lawyer pointed out that while his client had publicly apologized, the prime minister's son Yair Netanyahu had not done the same for calling a few weeks ago for members of the State Attorney's Office to "receive the penalty meant for traitors" (the death penalty) due to their indictment of his father.
Israeli cabinet ministers on Sunday demanded a strong response from law enforcement over the incitement.
What were the responses?
Netanyahu said in a statement to the press at the start of Sunday's weekly cabinet meeting that he expected the opposition leaders to "condemn and denounce" the inciters. The prime minister drew a line between some statements by members of the opposition and the growing severity of the inciteful calls. While there was a legitimate argument about what constituted a strengthening of democracy, all sides agreed that political assassinations were not part of that, Netanyahu added.
In addition to Hodak and Raz, the ministers also mentioned Tel Aviv mayor Ron Huldai's warning at a demonstration on Saturday night that a harsh reform would draw harsh reactions and that eventually "words will turn to deeds."
Transportation Minister Miri Regev called on the Israel Police to immediately arrest Hodak, Raz and Huldai.
"It is time the Left learned to lose a democratic election. They are trying to burn the country, to destroy and ruin. This cannot happen," Regev said to the press prior to the Sunday cabinet meeting.
Science and Technology Minister Ofir Akunis said to the press ahead of the meeting that he expected that law enforcement would treat these cases with a heavy hand.
Many protest leaders and opposition MKs condemned the remarks, including opposition leader MK Yair Lapid, former defense minister Moshe "Bogie" Ya'alon, former Aliyah and integration minister and current national Unity MK Pnina Tamano-Shata.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid wrote on Twitter, "Any incitement and violence only harms the fight to save this country. I call on all those who love this country to demonstrate, protest, take to the streets, but lawfully, do not incite violence of any kind."
Ya'alon tweeted on Sunday morning that "there is no place for the threat of violence or God forbid, murder, even in the face of the criticism and anger at a criminal government that intends to carry out a legal coup."