Left-wing demonstrators protesting the Netanyahu government claimed they were attacked by a man who attempted to run them down with his car Tuesday afternoon.
The incident occurred near the Ben Gurion University campus in the southern city of Beersheba, where a group of Yesh Atid party activists organized a protest against the Netanyahu government’s planned judicial reforms.
Dozens of demonstrators, mostly students, took part in the protest.
Just after 12:00 p.m., a car pulled up onto the sidewalk where the protesters had gathered.
According to activists at the demonstration, the driver got out of the car, haranguing the demonstrators and threatening to kill them.
“You anarchists have ruined this country,” the man was quoted as shouting. “I’ll kill you!”
Witnesses said the incident appeared to be an attempt to ram the demonstrators.
Police were called to the scene, and officers detained the driver for questioning.
Tomer Vinner, chairman of Yesh Atid’s youth movement, accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir of inciting the apparent attack.
“The incitement which started with Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir today reached Ben Gurion University. Just moments ago, I was witness to an attempted ramming of demonstrators in broad daylight, who were protesting the coup d’état being carried out by Netanyahu and his minions.”
“I advise the prime minister and national security minister to condemn this terrible attempted murder.”
Opposition Leader and former Prime Minister Yair Lapid backed activists' claim the incident amounted to an attempted ramming attack, blaming the Netanyahu government.
"The government's incitement will end in blood. Today it reached a student protest led by the local branch of Yesh Atid at Ben Gurion University. The attempted ramming was the dangerous result of a man influenced by the power-drunken madness being pumped in to Ben-Gvir and Yariv Levin."