Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday condemned the violent attack on Shas MK Yoav Ben-Tzur that took place Saturday night.
“Even when there are disagreements, there is no place for violence,” he said in a statement. “Law enforcement must take firm action against any attempt to intimidate or harm elected officials.”
The attack was perpetuated by “a small, unruly group of demonstrators,” Netanyahu said.
Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) protesters attacked Ben-Tzur after Shas agreed to advance the proposed draft law.
Protesters threw garbage bags at Ben-Tzur’s car, shattered one of the windows, and tried to physically harm him, the Israel Police reported.
Shas condemned the incident.
“Such acts of violence, which desecrate God’s name, are not the way of the Torah and do not represent any God-fearing community,” it said in a statement.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) wrote on X/Twitter: “This is not the way of the Torah. This is not the way of the State of Israel. These violent criminals must be dealt with severely.”
Transportation Minister Miri Regev (Likud) wrote on X: “The violence directed this evening toward MK Yoav Ben-Tzur is severe and warrants full condemnation. The heated debate on the issue of recruitment must be conducted with respect, not through thuggery and intimidation of MKs. I expect law-enforcement authorities to deal harshly with the rioters who break the law.”
Haredi draft law advances
The draft law would still advance, because “even the haredi public knows there is no escaping it, and the State of Israel needs soldiers,” she added.
Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman wrote on X: “The attack by dozens of haredim on MK Ben-Tzur from Shas is another example of the fact that we must immediately get our act together. Zero tolerance for lawbreakers, from draft dodgers and refusers all the way to the crime militias and extortion rackets. Very soon, we’re going to clean things up here!”