Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was taken to a secure compound at his residence in Jerusalem last Saturday, along with his wife and other people who were present at the house, and stayed in the room for about 45 minutes under Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) supervision, it was revealed on Friday.
According to reports in Israeli media, this unusual step was taken after demonstrators taking part in the weekly protest against the Prime Minister breached a police checkpoint that was set up near the Prime Minister’s official residence. The incident occurred at around 4:00 p.m. last Saturday afternoon.
Eight demonstrators were arrested in the incident, and Shin Bet security guards decided to place Netanyahu and the others in the secure compound so as not to take a risk, until it became clear that the area was clear and that there was no threat to the Prime Minister.
Following the unusual incident, security was tightened around the compound. On Friday morning, a barbed wire fence was erected at the breached checkpoint.
The Black Flags movement said in response, "Netanyahu's attempts to compare the protesters to Trump supporters are a direct continuation of the Netanyahu family's campaign of incitement. Tomorrow there will be demonstrations for the 29th week in a row, 29 weeks in which there were more than 400 documented attacks against the demonstrators. We will continue to fight for the sake of Israeli democracy in a non-violent protest - as always."
The Crime Minister movement said in response, "The Prime Minister's incitement and lies against the protesters crossed a red line today. No checkpoint was breached and the protesters demonstrated legally on a public street outside one of the entrances, and we have documentation of this. We have no doubt that if the Prime Minister and his wife entered a secure room, it was a product of the madness which prevails in the Netanyahu family. It is inconceivable that the media lends a hand to lies without checking the facts. For half a year we have been holding a non-violent protest in Balfour and we will continue to protest in this way every Saturday night in Balfour until the corrupt man goes!"
(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)