President Herzog warns against ‘accusations of treason’ amid IDF legal chief controversy on PM Rabin’s murder anniversary

Israeli President Isaac Herzog warned that Israel is “again standing on the edge of an abyss” of political violence, during a speech commemorating 30 years since the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

His remarks came amid a harsh exchange of accusations between coalition and opposition leaders over alleged incitement, following revelations that Military Advocate General (MAG) Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi had leaked a video to the press before attempting an elaborate cover-up.

Herzog spoke at an official ceremony at Jerusalem’s Mount Herzl on Monday in the presence of senior officials.

“Today we must say clearly: thirty years later, we still see the same signs – perhaps even more strongly: harsh, crude, and vulgar language, accusations of treason, poison spreading through social media and the public sphere, violence in all its forms – physical and verbal,” the president said, warning that the “dangerous level of violence” in Israeli society represents “a genuine strategic threat.”

“I warn and caution – we are again standing on the edge of an abyss, and there must be one path only: zero tolerance for violence!”

At another ceremony on Monday, Herzog decried the “violence directed at public servants, senior commanders in the IDF and the Shin Bet, state employees, senior officials, prosecutors, and judges. We see violence toward elected officials, members of Knesset from all sides, ministers, and even threats toward a sitting, elected prime minister.”

Over the past several days, between Tomer-Yerushalmi’s resignation on Friday and her arrest following an apparent fake suicide attempt on Sunday, mutual recriminations by opposition and coalition members had reached a fever pitch.

Despite Herzog’s warnings, the attacks did not cease even after Tomer-Yerushalmi’s arrest.

The president appealed to both sides: “Stop the mutual accusations and attacks! Words that spiral out of control ignite a dangerous fire and endanger lives. It is now essential to lower the flames, to show humanity and sensitivity.”

However, opposition Leader Yair Lapid used his speech at the special Knesset session in Rabin’s memory on Monday to continue his criticism of the government. “After two years of war and three years of chaos, we all want one thing: to stop fighting. We’re tired of conflict,” he said, before adding, “The desire for unity does not absolve us from, nor contradict, the fight against extremism.”

“Yitzhak Rabin was murdered, and Itamar Ben Gvir is today a senior minister in the government – that is the greatest sin of this government. It is the original sin that led to both the division among the people and to October 7 – the legitimization of extremism and racism,” Lapid said.

“We cannot unite the people of Israel without clearly defining the values under which we wish to unite – and which views we must reject completely… If we wish to unite the people, the way to do it is to stand up to extremists on both sides and say to them: we will have no part with you,” said Lapid, stressing that this, “more than anything, is Rabin’s legacy.”

Knesset Member Orit Strock of the Religious Zionism party said she left the session in protest, accusing Lapid of using the event “to sow hatred and incitement.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir claimed on Monday – without offering any evidence – that Tomer-Yerushalmi had hidden her phone because it contained materials that would implicate Attorney-General Gali Baharav‑Miara in the affair.

“It is clear to all of us that when the materials on that phone are revealed, the ground will shake,” Ben Gvir claimed. “When the contents of the phone are found or recovered, Pandora’s box will open, leading to the full revelation of the truth in this extremely serious case.”

While the search for the MAG was still going on, Likud party spokesman Guy Levy also blamed Attorney General Baharav-Miara for “all this madness,” calling for her arrest. He said she should have immediately confiscated the MAG’s phone and “even placed her under protective custody.”

Religious Zionism MK, Zvi Sukkot, said Tomer-Yerushalmi “slandered” IDF soldiers implicated in the leaked video. Sukkot also argued that the MAG was responsible for “insane anti-Israel propaganda around the world in the middle of the war,” and demanded she go to prison.

Likud MK Tali Gotliv also demanded “jail” for Tomer-Yerushalmi, adding that “her so-called ‘suicide attempt’ is an attempt to regain control of the public discourse, to remove from the headlines the disgrace of her actions, and once again to smear people on the right.”

Left-wing leaders hit back. "The Democrats" party chairman, Yair Golan, compared the attacks on Tomer-Yerushalmi with the incitement against Yitzhak Rabin ahead of his murder.

“This same method of labeling ‘traitors’ and encouraging political violence continues. The incitement will only stop after those leading it are removed from power,” he wrote on 𝕏.

Former opposition Blue and White MK Gadi Eisenkot said, “Even if mistakes and failures occurred, inciting violence against public servants is grave and destructive.”

“The incitement and inflammatory rhetoric are tearing Israel apart from within.”

Meanwhile, prominent anti-government activist and protest leader Shikma Bressler is being investigated after she blamed the police for Tomer-Yerushalmi’s apparent death, and wrote that “those who incited against Rabin gained power over the police.” She deleted the post after the MAG was found alive.

Israel Police chief Danny Levy ordered to investigate Bressler on suspicion of incitement and obstruction of an investigation, according to Hebrew media reports.