Members of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's coalition voiced outrage on Tuesday, after a death threat was made against the prime minister and his family.
The threats were made in a letter, which contained a live bullet, sent to a member of the Bennett family who resides in the family home in Ra'anana, and not addressed to him directly.
Security around the Bennett and around members of his family was increased as authorities chose to take the threats seriously as they attempted to identify those behind the ominous letter.
Bennett and members of his Yamina party had been slammed by right-wing politicians and activists for forming a coalition with parties from the left and the Islamist Ra'am party.
They have accused the prime minister of lacking the legitimacy to rule after his party received only six Knesset seats in the last elections and by forming a government had prevented an additional term under former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
A gag order has been imposed on all information pertaining to the investigation which is conducted by the special crimes unit of the police and the security services.
Bennett's long time political partner, Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked, who herself was haggled by right-wing protesters and provided special security at the order of the Knesset, said the threat against the prime minister and his family was shocking.
"It is inconceivable that in a Jewish country, its leader will face a danger from within. The police will find whom ever lifted a hand against Israeli democracy and bring him to justice," she said.
Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said the threats made were a sad reminder of how far incitement can lead.
"We will fight the hate speech in the streets, online and everywhere," Lapid said. "They will not scare us. The extremists will not prevail over the sane majority, " he said.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz said threats made against the prime minister's family cross the line and that incitement and violence have resulted in political murders in the past.
"One bullet in a letter can become three fired from a pistol," Gantz said. "I trust the police and security services to apprehend those responsible for the death threat. Even in times of difficult disagreements, we must all remember our strength is in our unity," he said.
In a post on Instagram, Bennett's 16-year old son Yoni wrote he was sad that real people write such terrible things.
"It is so sad that things like this happen because of incitement and people's brains are fried by others who deserve to sit in jail for brainwashing other people," Yoni wrote.
Bennett said in response that political disagreements, no matter how deep, should not turn violent. "We must do everything to make sure that does not happen," he said.
"We are all human beings and can have arguments and disagreements but not bullying and threats. I am a prime minister and a politician but I am also a father and husband and my duty is to protect my wife and children. We must tone the discourse down," he said.
"I call on everyone from all sides of the political spectrum - now is the time for calm and appeasement," Bennett said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Religion Minister Matan Kahana, a member of Bennett's Yamina party on Monday said he had received a call wishing him dead.
"You garbage bin, I wish that Arabs slaughter you and that your children are left orphaned, you stinking Nazi," the caller said.
Kahana said that Israel has already discovered that words can kill, referring to the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin by a right-wing extremist in 1995.
Far-right leader of the Religious Zionist Party, Bezalel Smotrich questioned whether the letter was real.
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A sign reads Bennett is a traitor during a right-wing protest after a terror attack in Hadera in March
(Photo: Elior El-Hai)
"I wonder whether publicizing this investigation is not a spin meant to improve Bennett's standing in the public and to delegitimize the right and its protests against the prime minister," he said.
"I do know that violence must always be out of bounds but the days in which the right is silenced by accusations of incitement are over," he said.
There are crazy people on both sides of the political spectrum and it is the job of law enforcement and the security services to prevent violence, but that does not apply to political criticism over the terrible things Bennett and his partners have done and are doing," he said.
"We will continue to oppose violence and criticize the government in our efforts to remove it," he said.
Netanyahu's son Yair, who has been outspoken in his contempt of Bennett on social media, also retweeted posts doubting the authenticity of the death threat.
First published: 21:55, 04.26.22