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Israelis head to the polls on Nov. 1 for an unprecedented fifth
election in four years. There is no guarantee the vote will
break the deadlock between former premier Benjamin Netanyahu and
bitter rivals who unseated him last year.
"Violence is on the rise. Verbal violence — accusations of
treason, comparisons to the Nazis, threats and curses — in the
public sphere and on social media," Herzog said in a speech on
Wednesday evening ahead of the Yom Kippur holiday next week,
when Jews traditionally repent for their wrongdoings.
"We see insults turning into physical violence. Into curled
fists, into assaults, into bloodshed," he said.
Herzog, whose role is largely ceremonial, did not point fingers
at anyone in particular. But there have been reports in recent
weeks of scuffles at demonstrations and one member of
Netanyahu's Likud party was suspended for assaulting a
protestor.
Herzog also alluded to the 1995 assassination of Israeli Prime
Minister Yitzhak Rabin by an ultra-nationalist Jew opposed to
his peace moves with the Palestinians.
"One cannot avoid the disturbing thought: what’s next? Knives?
Gunfire? Fatalities? God forbid. After all, we have already been
through this story before, and this time we must not hold back
or bite our tongues," he said.
"Before your next nasty post, before your next hate-filled tweet
or reply, before fighting, attacking, and hitting — stop. Don't
come along later seeking forgiveness or apologising — stop now.
Before it's too late."
(Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch)
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