Silence of the Lambs: Quiet in the Coalition After 'IDF is the Enemy' Cries in the Heart of Jerusalem

A procession of extremist Haredim in Jerusalem, in which IDF soldiers were called 'enemy' and deserters were crowned as heroes, passed without condemnation from coalition parties – Likud, Religious Zionism, and Otzma Yehudit. The correspondent notes that the silence stems from Netanyahu's desire not to raise the issue of Haredi extortion ahead of the elections. The one who did condemn was Ofer Winter, who is currently under attack by Likud.

A procession of extremist Haredim in Jerusalem, in which IDF deserters were crowned as heroes and cries of 'IDF is the enemy' were heard, passed without condemnation from coalition parties – Likud, Religious Zionism, and Otzma Yehudit. The correspondent, Moran Azulai, notes that the silence stems from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's desire not to raise the issue of Haredi extortion ahead of the elections, as it harms Likud and re-surfaces one of the critical problems for the election campaign. The one who did condemn the procession was the chairman of Amcha Yisrael, Ofer Winter, who is currently under attack by Likud. The procession included distributing 1,000 shekels to deserters and surprise bags for children. From the opposition, harsh condemnations were heard, including from Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Lieberman, and Yair Golan. The analysis points to the use of charged language in describing the event, such as 'infuriating', 'humiliating and shameful', and 'a punch in the gut', lending the coverage an emotional tone.