President Yitzhak Herzog spoke at a law conference at the University of Haifa.
"I am shocked by the very thought that I have to stand here and say again - the word traitor should be removed from the political discourse and in general. Accusations of treason endanger democracy," Herzog said.
"The damage to the justice system is of particular concern to me. The rule of law is our cornerstone and that of any democratic country. The justice system needs public trust more than anything - loss of trust may cause at people to cease to express their complaints," he said.