Tel Aviv man arrested for inciting violence against Netanyahu
A 39-year-old Tel Aviv man was arrested over the weekend on suspicion of inciting violence against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, police said on Sunday.
The Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court extended Michael Ronen Agmon’s remand until Tuesday and the Tel Aviv District Court rejected his appeal.
During Sunday’s hearing, police presented the court with a number of posts published on Facebook by Agmon, including one in which he said Netanyahu needed to be “neutralized” and another that had a picture of the premier surrounded by skulls and the phrase “Foe of Israel.”
Rejecting Agmon’s appeal, Judge Maayan Ben Ari said that there were no defects in the court’s decision to extend his remand and that his remarks contained “elements of forceful activity.”
A police representative told the judge during the remand hearing that they had received a tip regarding Agmon from the Prime Minister’s Office.
The officer also presented to the court a WhatsApp message allegedly sent by the suspect, in which he called for Netanyahu to be harmed.
Agmon told the court, “I strongly oppose violence and had no intention of doing anything.”
His attorney Roy Gabriel added that the jailing of his client was “disproportionate.”
“Every additional hour of detention is unfortunate. He didn’t even get any likes on his Facebook posts,” he added.
Earlier this month, Netanyahu filed a police complaint against a left-wing activist who appeared to threaten to murder his son Yair during a protest.
“The incitement on the far left has crossed red lines,” Netanyahu said in a statement. “These are concrete threats against my son’s life. They must not be ignored.”
Last week, two people were questioned by police in connection with death threats and other harassing messages sent to Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, who has come under fire for pursuing criminal charges against Netanyahu.
A lawyer representing one of the suspects said his client was involved with legitimate criticism of the attorney general.
“The leaky police are trying to silence legitimate criticism. My client did not threaten or harass Mandelblit — she asked citizens to contact him and demand answers from him. A person with power like Mandelblit must give the public answers,” Yitzchak Bam told the Kan public broadcaster.
Mandelblit had filed a police complaint a day earlier regarding the threats.