The trial of former Knesset member Dr. Michael Ben Ari, who is accused of inciting racism, opened this morning in the Kfar Saba Magistrate's Court.
Ben Ari said in the courtroom: "This indictment is an existential danger, this blocking of speech is dangerous far beyond the values of freedom of expression. It prevents us from seeing the enemy, it forbids us from seeing the enemy. We are not allowed to warn about the enemy. The prosecutor's office joined forces against me every time I said that we are dealing with a murderous nation, about 20 or 30 times. And I ask you, Mr. Judge, when you see a fire before you, do you scream out once and go to sleep, or do you continue screaming until you save people who are in danger?"
He added: "I envisioned October 7th, God forbid, not because I am a racist. I envisioned it because I have a responsibility to my people, a responsibility that you don't have. I am a public figure, I am a person of the public."
Ben Ari added: "This indictment is not against me. This indictment puts Zionism and its most basic values on the dock. I am not fighting only for myself. Here I am fighting the war of Zionism, the war of Jews who want to stand up for themselves and save lives. No, I am not afraid of prison, I am not afraid of conviction. I am afraid that I could have saved one Jew from slaughter by a knife or an ax, saved the daughters of Israel from rape, saved the children of Israel from fire."
The indictment was filed with the approval of Gali Baharav-Miara, the current Attorney General of Israel and State Attorney, Amit Isman, at the end of a seven-year investigation.
According to the indictment, Ben Ari, who serves as a popular senior lecturer in Israel, still defines himself as a student and a follower of Rabbi Meir Kahana.
According to the prosecution, in his publications Ben Ari defined Arab citizens of Israel as "enemies," "fifth columns," "occupiers" and "a murderous nation", and "generally attributed to them identification with, responsibility for, or complicity in violent and terrorist attacks perpetrated by Arabs.”
"Following the defendant's inciting publications, many sympathetic comments were sent to the defendant, including comments that are hostile to the Arab population as a whole," the indictment reads.
"This is a ridiculous and miserable indictment and I'm believe that there won't be one judge who will go against eight supreme judges, but there are lawyers who claim that they have the ability to bring about an acquittal," Ben Ari told Arutz Sheva – Israel National News and stated that "it will be interesting and it will be exhausting." About his book he says "It is an unpleasant book, but it is compulsory."
Ben Ari recently published the book "Vision and Dagger" which is widely popular. The book illuminates the public's perspective on the deceptive conduct vis-a-vis the Western world and the constant and systematic striving to rule Islam over the entire world, using the sword and rivers of blood.
The book, which gives a historical review of Islam, from its outset to the horrors of the Simchat Torah massacre, clarifies terms, gives a detailed outline of the methods of operation of the Muslim Brotherhood and its branches, and a breakdown of Islamic beliefs.