The Knesset plenum devolved into pandemonium Wednesday night after opposition chairman Yitzhak Herzog attacked Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and then refused to step down from the podium.
The incident began during a special Knesset discussion on the issue of poverty when the Labor leader ascended to the podium and took the opportunity to slam Netanyahu for, in his perception, the Prime Minister’s refusal to stand up to incitement.
“I address you and demand of you in the name of a large Israeli public to get behind a podium and declare that Reuven Rivlin is your president and that he is an Israeli patriot, and that those who incite against him will not be cleansed,” Herzog declared.
The remarks come specifically amid a flurry of attacks on President Rivlin for attending a Haaretz conference in the US alongside an activist from Breaking the Silence.
“Not far from here in Zion Square 20 years ago,” Herzog continued, “there were those who called to ‘drive out Rabin with blood and fire’ and you didn’t see or hear it. They said that Rabin was a traitor and you didn’t hear or see it, and today we hear the same voices.”
“A great multitude is screaming on Facebook ‘Rubi Rivlin isn’t my president’…and there are calls to physically harm him. You will not be able to claim that you didn’t hear or see it.”
Netanyahu then took the podium, noting that from “personal experience,” political leaders are always subject to attacks.
“I am opposed to all incitement or violent speech against the President or any other public figure,” Netanyahu stressed. “At the same time I will continue to fight for the right of everyone to express his or her opinion.”
“I want to address Knesset member Herzog and demand he rise up and condemn Breaking the Silence,” the Prime Minister added.
Herzog once again strode up to the podium, accusing Netanyahu of not condemning the “terrible incitement against Israel’s President,” despite constantly charging Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas with refusing to condemn incitement to violence.
Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein was forced to order a recess as furious MKs began shouting over Herzog and amid applause from both the coalition and opposition in response to their respective leaders’ remarks.
He also rebuked Knesset members for the applause, which is prohibited inside the plenum.
Herzog, meanwhile, finally stepped down from the podium and rejoined his faction after realizing Netanyahu had left the room.
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