MK Simcha Rothman (Religious Zionism), chairman of the Constitution Committee in the Knesset and one of the main proponents of the judicial reform legislation, joined a panel discussion at Tel Aviv University today.
Approximately two hundred protestors against the reform demonstrated in front of the building where the panel was held and attempted to prevent him from entering the building. MK Rothman had to be escorted into the building by several police officers.
"Bullying and suppression are not democracy," MK Rothman told the protestors.
"We see here people who for many years have been trying to silence the voice of the right. The suppression we see here is symbolic. In their opinion, there are positions that cannot be represented in court."
Protesters would later push their way into the lecture hall and interrupt the panel discussion with shouts and whistles.
The Religious Zionism party commented: "Violence and suppression against MK Rothman must not be normalized. Since the Altalena affair (a violent episode between the newly formed IDF and the paramilitary organization Irgun whiich was in the process of joining the IDF, when the two fought for control of a shipload of armaments belonging to the Irgun in the early days of the state. The IDF shot at the ship on Ben Gurion's orders, leaving 16 Irgun fighters dead and even shooting at those who had jumped ship. Civil war was prevented by Menachem Begin, who told the Irgun fighters not to return fire. ), there have been elements on the left who seek to eliminate political opponents and delegitimize nationalists. We call on Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz to stop the incitement and madness to avoid civil war."
MK Rothman will attend the Arutz Sheva Jerusalem Conference in NYC on June 4th