Culture and Sport Minister Miki Zohar (Likud) spoke on Channel 12 News' "Meet the Press" program, revealing the apparent reason that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not eulogize Yehonatan Geffen.
Geffen, 76, passed away earlier this week, was a poet and a writer, and considered one of Israel's cultural giants. He is survived by three children: musician Aviv Geffen, the actress and writer Shira Geffen, and Natasha Geffen.
"I assume Netanyahu did not eulogize Geffen because he was hurt by him," Zohar said.
In the past, Geffen harshly criticized Netanyahu, saying that "the wrong brother was killed."
Netanyahu's older brother, Yoni Netanyahu, IDF commander of Operation Entebbe was killed by a sniper during the 1976 rescue.
Geffen's newspaper columns were known for caustic criticism of the Israeli right. In 2018, he lionized Palestinian Arab Ahed Tamimi, who had assaulted IDF soldiers, comparing her to Anne Frank. He later apologized for the comparison.
Zohar also said that he has no doubt that the judicial reform will take place.
"The reform will take place," he said. "To what extent it will happen - I don't yet know. I hope that agreements will be reached in the President's Residence, but the other side needs to know that the Right is also starting to protest, and there is a danger of violence and clashes."