Gideon Sa'ar
Gideon Sa'arNoam Moskowitz/Knesset spokesperson

Justice Minister Gideon Sa'ar strongly criticized the words of Religious Zionism party chairman MK Bezalel Smotrich, who attacked former Supreme Court Chief Justice Miriam Naor in the wake of her death.

"I was amazed at MK Smotrich's attack on the former president, a few hours after her death and even before she was buried. It is not Jewish and it is inhumane. I do not know a judge with whom I have agreed on all of his judgments. But that's exactly the point. We need to preserve the state foundations in Israel," Sa'ar said at the start of the weekly New Hope faction meeting Monday.

He also referred to what was happening in the Likud in light of reports of the possibility of a plea deal in the Netanyahu trial, saying, "We are watching the Likud's sword dance from the sidelines. Each man's hand is against his brother. The ugly methods of spreading Fake News, lies, plots, defamation and staining used by political opponents, first and foremost against me and against us, are now being used openly against each other."

"We have no interest in it. We are not a party to it. Please wage your internal wars between yourselves. As you wish. Without involving us. I have no intention of returning to the Likud. We are busy doing and building New Hope. Enjoy one another's friendship, without involving us," he said.

He said, "We are New Hope. We will remain a nationalist, state movement that works for the good of the state and not for politics."