Protester arrested for vandalizing Modi’in home of Israeli justice minister

The suspect, a resident of the city in his 60s, allegedly spray-painted “Enemy of the People” on a wall outside Justice Minister Yariv Levin’s residence.

By JNS

A man was arrested on Saturday for vandalizing a wall outside Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin’s home in Modi’in on Thursday.

The man, a resident of the city in his 60s, had spray-painted “the enemy of the people” on the wall, in the context of the judicial reform plan being spearheaded by Levin.

Separately on Saturday, a man was arrested for threatening Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a video posted to social media.

On Saturday evening, Israelis took to the streets to protest the judicial reforms for the 11th straight week.

“Next week, Israel’s government intends to pass the dictatorship and religious coercion law. Every citizen must come out and take a stand in these fateful moments of the State of Israel. Together, hundreds of thousands will save Israeli democracy,” protest organizers said in a statement.

They vowed to escalate demonstrations if the coalition does not halt the legislative process associated with the reforms, declaring this coming Thursday a “National Day of Paralysis.”

Anti-reform protesters last week blocked roads, the Haifa port and Ben-Gurion Airport, and destroyed property on a day of ‘escalating resistance.’

Netanyahu has repeatedly called on the opposition to engage in negotiations without preconditions, overtures that have been summarily rejected.

The Israeli premier reiterated last Sunday that he had been elected to pursue change and accused the opposition of trying to overthrow his government.

“Only four months ago, we held elections. The government I head received a clear mandate from the citizens of Israel. The fact that for two whole months, our repeated calls for dialogue received no response from the opposition proves that what interests the opposition is not the judicial reforms, but the creation of anarchy and the overthrow of the elected government,” he said.

“It is impossible to be in favor of the success of the Israeli economy and to encourage the flight of funds from Israel. It is impossible to be in favor of the rule of law and to encourage violations of the law. It is impossible to be in favor of the security of the state and to encourage insubordination that would collapse the security of the state,” said the premier.

“There is no conditional Zionism,” he added.