Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu firmly asserted on Wednesday that “Israel has been and will remain a democracy” during a speech in the Knesset, responding to claims that his administration is systematically eroding the rule of law.
Netanyahu also signaled a shift toward a more aggressive stance on Gaza, suggesting that Israel might take control of parts of the Gaza Strip to exert pressure on Hamas for the release of Israeli hostages still held captive.
In a heated moment, Netanyahu slammed his fist on the podium, criticizing “bullying,” “incitement,” and “violence against elected officials” as he faced intense verbal opposition from lawmakers during the monthly “40-signatures debate,” a session to which the prime minister is legally obligated to attend.
Though the debate officially addressed the rising crime rates in the Arab sector, much of the discussion veered toward the government’s controversial actions to dismiss senior officials and increase its control over the judicial system, moves that have drawn fierce criticism for being undemocratic.
Netanyahu vehemently rejected the notion that democracy itself was at risk, instead claiming that “democracy isn’t in danger; the rule of bureaucrats is in danger. The deep state is in danger,” accusing a small group of officials of actively working to undermine the elected government.
Having served as prime minister for the majority of the past 15 years, Netanyahu has increasingly raised alarms about a “deep state” in Israel, echoing similar rhetoric from the United States, claiming that this shadow government seeks to thwart his leadership.
“In a democracy the people are sovereign, and the people demand that its free vote in the polling booths be practically carried out in decisions, appointments, policies,” Netanyahu declared, emphasizing that while the government’s power is not limitless, there must be a “balance between the branches of government” and that it cannot be powerless.
Critics of Netanyahu, however, contend that his actions are aimed at weakening the checks and balances that prevent the concentration of too much power in the hands of the executive.
This speech came just before the Knesset’s final vote on a contentious bill that would give the government greater political influence over judicial appointments.
Netanyahu has also faced criticism for seeking to remove Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who has repeatedly clashed with the government over its legislative proposals, appointments, and actions, claiming they often violate the law and undermine the rule of law. Despite frequent pushback from cabinet ministers, Baharav-Miara has stood by her responsibility to challenge the government when it oversteps legal boundaries.
Adding to the controversy, Netanyahu’s government last week voted to fire Ronen Bar, the head of the Shin Bet security agency, amid ongoing investigations into possible corruption related to Qatar. Netanyahu defended the move, arguing that the firing was unrelated to the investigation and necessary due to the strained relationship between Bar and the government.
In response to the investigation, Netanyahu tweeted, “In America and in Israel, when a strong right-wing leader wins an election, the leftist Deep State weaponizes the justice system to thwart the people’s will.” He later released a video in Hebrew further elaborating on the term “deep state.”
“They want me and the government to be a potted plant [and not do anything],” Netanyahu said in a video, using a plant as a metaphor to describe how he believes his opponents wish to restrict his authority.
After the High Court ruled to freeze Bar’s dismissal, several ministers publicly vowed to disregard the court’s decision, which led to opposition parties threatening a nationwide strike and large public demonstrations.
In response to the widespread protests, Netanyahu accused opposition lawmakers in the Knesset of “sowing anarchy in the streets.” He acknowledged the right to protest but condemned the roadblocks, violence against police officers, and threats against elected officials, including himself and his family.
Earlier, six demonstrators were arrested when they attempted to block the entrance to the Knesset to prevent lawmakers from voting on the 2025 state budget.
Netanyahu accused opposition groups of being the sole source of the violence and threats, asserting that “all the threats and violence were coming from ‘one direction’ and one camp.”
He also denied ever calling Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin a “traitor” during the 1995 demonstrations against the Oslo Accords, claiming he merely stated that “Rabin was wrong.” He pointed out that, in the past, the opposition had condemned him for using certain terms but now seemed unconcerned about such language.
Despite the intense protests and criticism, Netanyahu remained resolute, vowing, “It won’t stop us, it won’t deter us. The tyranny of the small minority will not triumph over the will of the great majority.”
During Netanyahu’s speech, MK Gilad Kariv from The Democrats party was removed from the plenum for his vocal objections.
Turning to the situation in Gaza, Netanyahu warned that the Israeli government would increase pressure on Hamas as long as it continued to refuse to release the hostages. “The more Hamas persists in its refusal to release our hostages, the more powerful the pressure we will exert. And I say to Hamas: This includes seizing territory, and this includes other things that I will not list here.”
Despite Netanyahu’s confident assertion of Israel’s progress in the war, rocket sirens rang out across the Gaza border area, and Opposition leader Yair Lapid quickly criticized Netanyahu’s approach.
Lapid addressed the Knesset, stating that Netanyahu’s legacy would be defined by the events of October 7, 2023, calling him the “October 7 prime minister” in reference to the deadly attack and its aftermath.
“You are indeed doing something that no government has done,” Lapid said, referring to the devastating human toll of the attack. He also criticized Netanyahu for squeezing the middle class in the state budget while failing to manage security and the economy effectively.
Lapid likened Netanyahu’s government to “the fattest, most wasteful and most reckless government in the history of the country,” contrasting Netanyahu with figures like Argentine President Javier Milei and US government efficiency czar Elon Musk, both of whom advocate for cutting government waste.
National Unity party chairman Benny Gantz, a former member of Netanyahu’s war cabinet, also spoke out against the prime minister, accusing him of lying about the existence of a deep state and his handling of key issues like the war and the attorney general’s actions.
“The truth cannot be obscured. Only after we joined the cabinet was the return of the hostages included in the war’s objectives,” Gantz said, criticizing Netanyahu’s delayed action on military operations and the failure to launch ground maneuvers sooner.
Gantz also accused Netanyahu of being fearful of a state commission of inquiry into the October 7 attack, claiming it would expose not only the government’s failures leading up to the attack but also its underperformance during the conflict itself.
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