Coalition MKs responded with outrage after National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir tweeted on Saturday night that "the salad bar is open" in an apparent reference to earlier comments he made comparing the reasonableness standard bill to the "salads before the meal."
אין לי ארץ אחרת, אין לי אחים אחרים, אבל, אסור להיכנע לבריונות, אסור להתקפל בפני איומים, גם כשאלו האחים שלנו! יש כאן ניסיון אדיר לסחוט את הממשלה הנבחרת ולהביא לכאוס מוחלט בו מי שמקבל את ההחלטות הם לא נבחרי הציבור. כולנו אחים אבל בהחלט לא מתקפלים. לא מתנצלים.מחוקקים. https://t.co/gnbXcUhmUM
— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) July 22, 2023
"These are exactly the words that should not be written," responded Likud MK Dan Illouz.
"We will pass the reform. with pride and joy. I have been working on this issue for more than a decade. But a large part of our nation is hurting right now. A pain which is unfair in my opinion, but in pain. It is not just about the service refusers or the students of Ehud Barak. This is a significant part of the people, Zionists at heart and who continue to serve in the reserves. They're just worried and scared," added Illouz.
"We should embrace them, not put a finger in their eye. A little sensitivity wouldn't hurt. A little love of Israel, instead of festive joy, won't hurt."
Likud MK Eli Dallal responded as well, tweeting "The nation of Israel is in a complex divide. We are in complex days where there are masses of concerned citizens."
"We are all brothers and I love all the citizens of Israel and those protesting against the reform with a great love. Public servants need to calm down. The State of Israel will remain Jewish and democratic," added Dallal.
Tuvia Smotrich, the brother of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, expressed outrage at Ben-Gvir's comments as well, stating "I have already said and will say it again: I will never again vote for a list which Itamar Ben-Gvir is a part of. Whoever believes that 'me, me, me' outweighs all national responsibility, does not deserve to receive my vote in the elections!"
Ben-Gvir refuses to apologize, says 'we cannot bend before threats'
In response to the outrage, Ben-Gvir wrote "I have no other land, I have no other brothers, but, we cannot submit to bullying, cannot bend before threats, even when these are our brothers!"
"There is a tremendous attempt to blackmail the elected government and to bring about complete chaos in which those who make decisions are not elected officials," added Ben-Gvir. "We are all brothers but we definitely are not bending and not apologizing. We are legislating."
Earlier this week, in an interview with the Kikar Hashabbat news site, Ben-Gvir compared the reasonableness standard bill to "the salads that create an appetite," stressing that "this is only the beginning."