A Likud minister accused all non-Likud voters of being ‘ungrateful misanthropes’ Sunday, before walking back her comments.
Transportation Minister Miri Regev (Likud) spoke at the Besheva conference in Jerusalem Sunday, claiming that Israelis owe thanks to the ruling Likud party for “saving” their lives, adding that anyone who does not vote for the Likud is “ungrateful” and a “misanthrope”.
“I think that a person who doesn’t put ‘Likud’ in the ballot is a misanthrope,” Regev said, using the English term.
“If someone saves your life and works to ensure you have a good life afterwards – anyone who doesn’t vote for them is a misanthrope.”
Regev later focused her criticism on right-wing voters who choose not to back the Likud.
When asked by a moderator what she meant by the English term ‘misanthrope’ and if she meant ‘ungrateful’, Regev said “yes”.
Regev went on to laud Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, saying, “This is someone who will get the economy going. Just as we were the leaders with the vaccine, that’s what he’ll do with the economy as well. There’s no one else who can do that.”
After excoriating non-Likud voters, the Transportation Minister later endorsed the Religious Zionist Party alliance with Noam and Otzma Yehudit, saying that national religious voters could choose either the Likud or the Religious Zionist Party.
“Anyone who wants a completely right-wing government needs to vote for the Likud or the only party which represents Religious Zionism and says it will sit with Netanyahu.”
Later on Sunday, Regev issued a clarification in a statement of her comments at the conference, saying she had misspoke when she used the word “misanthrope”.
“The term did not properly express my intentions, I intended to say that anyone who doesn’t vote for the Likud is refusing to see the reality and the fact that he is sending votes to a rotational government headed by Yair Lapid, and in so doing is liable to make him prime minister. Anyone who wants a right-wing government needs to vote Likud.”