Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gviur wants to strengthen measures to detain protesters who may be blocking roads following protests against the new government.
“I am for the protests, but those blocking the roads must be stopped”said Gvir during a meeting in parliament on Monday.
Protests have intensified since last Saturday.
The party to which Itamar Ben Gvir belongs has been part of the governing coalition led by Benjamin Netanyahu since the end of 2022 and is under the guardianship of police forces.
The right-wing minister defends that the security forces are stricter in the event of protests or disturbances, especially in clashes with Palestinian civilians in the Israeli-occupied territories.
Gvir also referred to last Saturday’s demonstration, which brought thousands of people together in Tel Aviv against the Israeli executive’s controversial reform plan that gives powers to the conservative parliamentary majority in front of the Supreme Court.
The plan is seen as interference of the political power in the judiciary.
According to the Israeli press, after the weekend’s protests, Minister Ben Gvir criticized the police for not stopping the demonstrators cutting off public roads, accusing the officers of acting lenient “at some protests”.
“The rules for protests in Tel Aviv should be the same as those in Jerusalem”said the minister.
This Tuesday, Gvir must rephrase orders addressed to police to include detaining protesters who block roads or who “carry posters” with phrases that could be “incendiary,” such as those comparing members of the right-wing government to the Nazis, as happened last week.
The measures, if implemented, could be another step toward cracking down on civil disobedience in Israel, sending clear signals to movements and organizations opposed to Netanyahu’s government.
In just over 10 days since taking over the National Security portfolio, Ben Gvir has carried out several actions considered controversial and emblematic of the ultra-nationalist and anti-Arab agenda.
Source: DN
