MK Simcha Rothman (Religious Zionism), who heads the Knesset's Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee, has no problem with protests being held outside his own private home, or that of another MK or minister.
At the same time, Rothman noted several limits which need to be carefully adhered to.
Speaking in an interview with Makor Rishon, Rothman said, "If you are in a residential area, and you don't let people sleep, that's harassment, not a protest. But to stand with signs and protest - I never thought there was a problem with that. They want to stand with signs? That's their right. If they block roads, block [Likud MK] Tali Gottlieb from leaving her house, wake up the neighbors - that's not legal, and we need to deal with that the way we deal with illegal activities."
Rothman pointed out that, "When it was affecting the son of Liat Ben-Ari (a State Attorney involved in the Netanyahu trial - ed.) the Prosecutor's Office staff took it to court. Apparently they know very well where to draw the line, but it just doesn't interest them to draw the line when it comes to harm to elected officials."
Regarding the difference between protests against the previous government and the current protests, Rothman said, "The protest against the Bennett-Lapid government was effective because it came from their voters. With me, they crossed all red lines, and I did not change my position, and even if they would protest outside my house day and night it would not matter. Why? Because I am an emissary of a large sector of the public. But if my entire town would tell me, 'SImcha, what did you do? You betrayed us,' and if friends and family would tell me, 'Shame, shame,' everywhere - then it could be that that would break me."
"The idea that what broke [MK] Idit Silman and [MK] Nir Orbach was the harsh words someone said about them....I know both of them, they are strong and they are not moved by this word or that one. What broke them was that their own groups, their own flesh and blood, told them, 'This isn't legitimate.'"
Regarding the mistakes which have been made, Rothman said, "Looking back, we tried for too long to reach agreements with the opposition, to make the most of the negotiations. As a result of this, the process of legislation has gone on too long. The speed was slow, maybe too slow."