Following remarks made by MK Ram Ben-Barak (Yesh Atid) in an interview with Reshet Bet on the 25th of the month—in which he labeled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “the State of Israel’s greatest enemy” and unequivocally stood by the statement—the Likud party filed an urgent complaint today (Sunday) with the Israel Police regarding suspected incitement to violence, acting through the law firm of Ilan Bombach & Co.
The Likud argues that Ben-Barak crossed a red line and that his words create a dangerous delegitimization that could be interpreted as justification for action against the Prime Minister; therefore, the Likud demands the immediate opening of a criminal investigation.
When asked about the comments again, he reiterated them firmly. In the official complaint filed with the police, the lawyers emphasize that this was not a momentary slip of the tongue or a statement taken out of context, but rather a position the speaker consciously stood by.
The Likud contends that the implications of these remarks are grave and far-reaching. The document notes that in the State of Israel, the word “enemy” carries an unbearably heavy weight: “An enemy is someone who seeks…” …harm the state and its citizens—someone against whom the public must defend itself, and someone who has only recently committed acts against the state’s citizens that are too horrific to put into writing. Attaching this label to the Prime Minister goes far beyond the bounds of legitimate political criticism.”
The office of attorney Ilan Bombach added that the severity of the remarks is compounded by the fact that the speaker is an incumbent elected official: “A casual remark by a private individual is not the same as a statement made publicly by an elected official—someone who enjoys a public platform, extensive exposure, and a status that lends weight and influence to their words.” It is argued that when an elected official chooses to portray the Prime Minister to the public as representing the state’s own enemy, it creates a “dangerous delegitimization of the Prime Minister, framing him as someone to be fought as an enemy—with all the implications that entails.”
The complaint further notes that such statements carry added weight and pose a tangible danger given the charged public atmosphere in Israel and the constant threats directed at public figures in general, and the Prime Minister in particular. According to the Likud, “the repeated and emphatic use of the word ‘enemy’ in reference to the Prime Minister could be perceived by some listeners as a justification for taking action against the person portrayed to them as the state’s greatest enemy.”
Despite acknowledging the paramount importance of political freedom of speech in a democratic regime—which protects even harsh, provocative, and outrageous statements—the complaint emphasized that “freedom of speech cannot serve as a cover for publications that create a real risk of escalating from verbal to physical violence.”