Israeli Prez Takes Big Swipe at His Country's Hard Right

In a blunt speech Sunday, Israeli President Isaac Herzog warned that a "terrible process of brutalization" is taking hold in Israel, citing rising Jewish mob attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank, violence against Arab citizens, and abuse of detainees in custody. Israel's largely ceremonial head of state said segments of society are no longer shocked by violence, reports the New York Times, and cautioned that extremist behavior on the fringes is being normalized and edging toward the mainstream.

Speaking at the Jerusalem Unity Prize ceremony, Herzog reserved his sharpest criticism for radical settlers, calling them a "mob" whose attacks "defile our home and depart from every basic norm—moral, legal or Jewish." He also condemned harassment of Christians and Muslims and "brutal acts" against suspects under interrogation. His remarks implicitly challenged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition, which critics say has enabled such conduct. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, long accused of stoking aggressive tactics and recently seen taunting detained pro-Palestinian activists in a video, fired back online, accusing Herzog of effectively labeling "hundreds of thousands" of Israelis as "beasts" and declaring him "not fit to be president. Period."