The Likud party has filed a police complaint against Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai after a series of controversial comments made during his interview with Channel 13 on Monday morning.
During the interview, the Tel Aviv leader said that he believes Israel is on its way to becoming a dictatorship, and that the only way to return from that point is through "bloodshed."
"Democratic countries like ours can become dictatorships," he said, speaking from the mass protest outside Jerusalem's Knesset, where over 90,000 people gathered to protest. "But dictatorships can only return to be democracies through bloodshed. This is what history has shown us."
Politicians from Israel's government coalition were quick to respond and condemn Huldai's words, with National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir calling for him to be subject to a legal investigation.
"The mayor of Tel Aviv has no immunity, and no privilege to incite murder," he said. "His call [for bloodshed] is serious, and he must be questioned and prosecuted."
Noam party chairman MK Avi Maoz also sharply criticized Huldai, calling his comments incitement.
"We do not have another country and we do not have another people," said the MK. "Stop the incitement and rebellion against the legally elected government simply because it works to promote the values that it believes in."
Later in the afternoon, a Likud spokesperson confirmed that the party has filed a police complaint against Huldai for reasons of "incitement to violence and civil rebellion."
Violent discourse leading us 'into an abyss,' warns Gantz
Several opposition MKs and leaders also criticized Huldai's words including National Unity Party chairman Benny Gantz.
"We are in a state of emergency and mid-struggle," he said. "But our struggle is for Israeli democracy and not between each other.
"The pain and fear are understandable and they have their place, but we must immediately stop the violent discourse and rampage on both sides that could bring us down into the abyss. Huldai's comments are dangerous, out of place, and more than that - they harm our virtuous struggle."
Later in the day on Monday, Huldai clarified his comments, saying that they had been deliberately twisted "for personal gain."
"The responsibility for preventing bloodshed lies with those who make the decisions in Knesset and who are turning Israel into a dictatorship," he continued. "They have the duty to stop the legislative process, to reach an agreement and prevent it."