Chaos in Knesset: Gvir launches security tirade, Shin Bet fires back
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Gvir, Shin Bet, Bennett, Lapid and firing at one another while their security is on a meltdown.
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Itamar Ben Gvir, head of the Otzma Yehudit - or Jewish National Front - a very right-wing party in the Knesset.
Itamar Ben Gvir, the far-right member of the Knesset, threw a tantrum on Friday as he yelled at the head of the Shin Bet security service, accusing him of responsibility for security failures that led to successful Palestinian operations in Al-Quds and Gaza.
Gvir has been bumping heads with the Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, for a while now. The PM has recently slammed Gvir and backed Ronen Bar, the head of the Shin Bet, against the former's tirade.
Speaking about Gvir, Bennett said, “His actions are cowardly and anti-Israeli, meant to set the country ablaze through jealousy and chaos,” and "If anyone has any complaints about political decisions — I am the prime minister. I’m the address.”
Gvir took to Twitter to accuse the Shin Bet of not doing their job, holding them responsible for the recent events in the Al-Aqsa compound in Al-Quds, in addition to the Palestinians' successful acts of resistance against Israeli settlers in late March and early April, and increasing tensions in Gaza.
Read more: Israeli media: Upcoming weeks pose huge challenge to Israeli army
“While the Temple Mount is burning and terror attacks are increasing, the Shin Bet needs to deal with the security of the nation and not briefings against me,” he wrote on Twitter.
Yair Lapid, the Israeli foreign minister, also demanded that former PM and head of the opposition, Benjamin Netanyahu, condemn Gvir.
“Itamar Ben Gvir, the convicted felon who Netanyahu wants to appoint as public security minister, has marked a new target for his attacks — head of the Shin Bet and his team,” Lapid wrote.
Ben Gvir, after dealing with the wave of criticism, went on to accuse Bennett of using the Shin Bet for leverage and getting his political needs.
“I like the Shin Bet but its chief should not be allowed to hold briefings against a public official. The distorted logic that lies behind Bennett’s remarks is that the Shin Bet is allowed to hold briefings against me but I can’t respond to their incitement against me. Hypocrisy,” he said.
Last week, the Shin Bet suggested that Gvir get blocked from a nationalist march in Al-Quds in fear of widening the scope of the conflict. They believe that the protests could lead to a "second war with Gaza," thus the reason why Gvir should be banned.
Thus, Bennett banned Gvir from Bab Al-Amud, and the protesters were prohibited from entering the Old City through it.
