Health Minister and Meretz chairman Nitzan Horowitz came out strongly against what he called "settler violence" at the last cabinet meeting held last week, Galei Tzahal reported.
"Settler violence is a national strategic threat. These are planned and orderly actions designed to drag Israel into planned riots and bloodshed," Horowitz claimed. According to him, the army should act more severely against the settlers.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz was outraged by Minister Horowitz's remarks and said the issue was being addressed satisfactorily. The prime minister did not comment during the hearing and his office said: "We do not comment on the cabinet's deliberations. The prime minister's position on the issue is well known. There is no room for generalizations against the settler public and, to the same degree, occurrences of violence must be dealt with resolutely."
Samaria Regional Council chairman Yossi Dagan, attacked Horowitz and said: "Nitzan Horowitz is infected with a severe post-corona strain of hatred of Israel, a strain that probably affects not only the heart but also the eyes. The shame is not over what he said, for we have become accustomed to such delusional hatred from the radical and insane extremist leftists. The shame is that such a person is a minister in the Israeli government and a member of the cabinet in the Israeli government."
"Everyone knows that the citizens of Judea and Samaria are the number one law abiders in the State of Israel. According to the Israel Police, there is the least crime in Judea and Samaria, including the so-called 'price tag' attacks, compared to all other districts in Israel. For Nitzan Horowitz, the most important thing is to defame, slander and bring hatred. This is the content of the people of the extreme left and this is what defines them.
"Nitzan Horowitz and his friends on the crazy and hateful left will continue to spread hatred and antagonims and we who settle in Judea and Samaria and the vast majority of the public in the State of Israel - will continue to build Israel, add love of Israel and love for Israel to people who think as we do and also for people who do not think our way," Dagan concluded.
Efrat Council Chairman Oded Revivi also attacked what Nitzan Horowitz said. "The strategic threat is those who are looking for ways to divide Israelis."
"It is a pity that the Minister of Health did not fight for health with the same determination he fought against his settler brothers. Violence in every form everywhere and in every society is terrible, it seems to me that much more such violence has been seen in Israeli cities in central Israel with booby-trapped and exploding vehicles. In the Arab sector, unfortunately, there are endless murders and shootings. Of course, there is no condoning or approval for any of the settlers to raise a hand, not against soldiers, not against Jews and, G-d forbid, not against our Palestinian Arab neighbors. Those who use violence harm the settlements," Revivi added.
He said, "The determination and consistency that emerges from the Cabinet's deliberations on Health Minister Horowitz in his attempts to label settlers violent was lacking in his fight against the coronavirus, in the fight to improve patient care and increase hospital beds. Under the responsibility of his office, he should focus on them and the ways to prepare for the next wave and free us all from his unjustified persecution in the face of the facts. " According to Revivi, "the strategic threat is populist ministers who, instead of focusing on their work and uniting the people, are looking for ways to divide Israelis into opposing camps."