Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu
Prime Minister Binyamin NetanyahuYonatan Sindel/Flash 90

The leftist organization B'Tselem was unfazed on Saturday night by comments from Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who blasted the organization following its participation in a UN Security Council meeting on Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria.

Netanyahu criticized B'Tselem as “delusional” and added, “What these organizations fail to achieve in democratic elections in Israel, they are now trying to achieve by international force. That is unacceptable.”

B'Tselem, however, later downplayed the comments and said it would continue its battle against “Israeli occupation”.

“We will not stoop down to the level of the Prime Minister. This will not deter B'Tselem and the hundreds of thousands in Israel who oppose the occupation. We will continue to tell the truth: the occupation must end,” the organization said.

Later on Saturday, Netanyahu's bureau said he will act to amend the national service law so that it will no longer be possible to do national service with B'Tselem. Netanyahu discussed the issue with coalition chairman MK David Bitan.

Netanyahu has previously contacted the Attorney General on the matter; the latter said that the law needs to be amended and thus the Prime Minister intends to do.

Such a ban was already attempted a few years ago by the National Service Administration, but the Justice Ministry demanded legal proofs and insisted the ban be revoked.