President Isaac Herzog said that two weeks ago he hosted Shin Bet director David Zini and Justice Noam Solberg, who presented threats to election integrity from both domestic and foreign sources. He urged leaders to act responsibly, stressing that elections are not a civil war and that one must not wait for disaster.
President Isaac Herzog, in a statement on the eve of Tisha B'Av, called on political leaders to act responsibly, warning that 'elections are not a civil war' and that one must not 'wait for disaster.' The statement comes as Israel approaches the fifth general election in three years.
Herzog revealed that two weeks ago he hosted Shin Bet director David Zini and Justice Noam Solberg, who serves as head of the Central Elections Committee, and that they presented him with 'various threats to the integrity of the elections, from home and abroad.' He said a unified front was presented and that he committed to supporting the committee and security forces.
As The Zioneer reported at 20:22 Jerusalem, earlier this evening Herzog noted that the Shin Bet and elections chief had warned of both internal and external threats. The President has repeatedly cautioned against the danger of civil war amid the polarized political atmosphere. In a June 30 statement, he said 'elections are not a civil war' and that 'it is possible to oppose the government without becoming an enemy.'
The timing of the statement on Tisha B'Av, a day of mourning for national tragedies, underscores the gravity of the President's message. The election campaign is underway, with the vote expected in about three months.
3 developments
- StrongOn Tisha B'Av eve and election campaign: Herzog to deliver special statement at 20:15
- StrongHerzog: Shin Bet, elections chief warned of threats two weeks ago; 'elections are not a civil war'
- DevelopingPresident Herzog: Elections in three months, 'just not a civil war'
- DevelopingPresident Herzog warns internal discord threatens national cohesion, calls for lawful protest
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