Rabin’s grandson blasts absent Netanyahu during memorial ceremony

Speaking about Netanyahu’s fall from power, Rabin’s grandson declared that “the people won.”

By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News

The grandson of slain prime minister Yitzhak Rabin slammed Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s former premier, during a memorial commemoration on the Hebrew calendar anniversary of the assassination.

While speaking at an event marking the 26th anniversary of his grandfather’s death, Yonatan Ben Artzi added in a few pointed remarks that appeared to be direct jabs at Netanyahu.

Praising the new ruling coalition, Ben Artzi declared that “after dark years of fear and [political] paralysis, Israel has won. In the face of a culture of tyranny, the people won. This morning, 26 years after the terrible night, I can say that the mourning period is over.”

Some on the Israeli left have placed blame for Rabin’s slaying on Netanyahu, who they claim had a heavy hand in the incitement which led up to the murder.

“You, like us, understand that the delusional and absurd idea that one person stands above the state and its citizens belongs to the past,” he said to the crowd at the event.

“You understand that the people of Israel have denounced the culture of hatred and incitement. I call on everyone – let’s work for the public, peace between us [can be achieved] tomorrow.”

Ben Artzi has vocally expressed his displeasure with Netanyahu on previous occasions.

Referencing Netanyahu’s pending criminal cases, Ben Artzi used his speech time at Rabin’s memorial in 2019 to call on the prime minister to resign.

“This is the time to take responsibility, to lead by example,” Ben Artzi said. “If there is a stain on your character, move aside, resign from your roles.”

Displeased with the emergency coalition formed after a third round of inconclusive elections in April 2020, Ben Artzi tweeted that he thought Netanyahu was possibly using the coronavirus pandemic as a political maneuver.

He wrote that “if Netanyahu lied…then he deserves [to catch] coronavirus and live out the rest of his days sick in prison,” adding that such a fate would be just “karma” for the then-premier.

In response to Ben Artzi’s most recent comments from Tuesday’s memorial, a source close to Netanyahu told Channel 12 that the former prime minister is in a damned-if-he-does, damned-if-he-doesn’t conundrum.

“The memorial service for the late prime minister Rabin has long been a constant excuse for unbridled attacks on former prime minister Netanyahu,” said the source.

“When Netanyahu attends [the event], they attack him; When he does not attend – they attack him.”

Quoting Ben Artzi’s speech, a Likud spokesperson accused the activist of hypocrisy.

Bennett’s victory over Netanyahu, who enjoyed three times as many votes as the former, symbolized a win for election fraud, the spokesperson charged.

“The rule of the people triumphed over the rule of the individual? It’s exactly the opposite. It’s the individual who defrauded the nation to steal power.”

NetanyahuRabin memorialYonatan Ben-Artzi