President Reuven Rivlin defended the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) Wednesday against allegations of torture and said that whoever is silent on incitement “will see that same incitement visited upon them.”
In a special statement the day after the publication of a video of wedding in which extremists brandished weapons and danced while stabbing the picture of an Arab baby, the president said:
I met with the ISA and its commanders, headed by Yoram Cohen… He and all of those who serve under him are devoted faithfully to the defense of the State of Israel. In Israel, there exist mechanisms of checks and balances, and no organization or individual is above them. One who fears unjustified actions has the ability to raise their concerns, and receive a clear answer.
We must all be cautious not to slander, or weaken the ISA. Harm done to the ISA, is harm done to the security of Israel. One who is silent in the face of incitement, will see that same incitement visited upon them.
Against the incitement revealed in this sickening video, the firm and clear stand expressed by many leading figures in Israel over the last days, is both welcome and necessary.
The video has been condemned by all sectors of the political spectrum, including leaders in Judea and Samaria.
Right-wing rabbis never have even implicitly condoned violence but previously have acted as if it almost does not exist.
They have been silent for years, dismissing right-wing violence as a fabrication by instigators working for the Shin Bet or as isolated and meaningless incidents.
