Supreme Court President Links Public Rhetoric to Violence Against Judiciary

Supreme Court President Yitzhak Amit stated that recent acts of violence against lawyers and judges stem from "verbal violence" directed at the justice system by public figures and on social media. Speaking at an emergency conference convened by the Israel Bar Association to combat violence against legal professionals, Amit noted that the murder of attorney Arbel Feldman was part of a broader trend of verbal and physical aggression targeting legal practitioners solely for performing their duties.

Amit specifically referenced an incident in June where ultra-Orthodox protesters demonstrated outside the home of Deputy Supreme Court President Noam Sohlberg, suggesting the aim was to intimidate him and other judges. He also pointed to recent verbal attacks against other judges, asserting that violence against the judiciary does not arise in a vacuum and that verbal aggression paves the way for physical violence. "If you want to know the ground on which the seeds of violence against the justice system are sown, look to the statements of public figures, turn to social media, and there you will find the answer," Amit declared.

He recalled that in December, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called Amit himself an "violent megalomaniac" and vowed to "run him over," while Justice Minister Yariv Levin referred to Supreme Court justices as "dictators." Other ministers have also used harsh rhetoric following rulings unfavorable to the government. Amid the current election campaign, Amit stressed the heightened responsibility of all individuals to act with moderation, choose their words carefully, and engage in respectful discourse.

In other news, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett expressed support for unifying the "change bloc" of parties, stating his commitment to working towards a broad coalition to prevent internal conflicts. Separately, at least 21 people were killed in a bus accident in southern Sinai, Egypt, with Jordanian citizens also among the casualties. Additionally, the State Prosecutor's Office filed an indictment against a resident of the Galilee region accused of expressing support for ISIS and intending to fight abroad for the organization, following his arrest and investigation.