Israel police boss threatens to send anti-war protesters to Gaza ‘on buses’

Kobi Shabtai says there will be ‘zero tolerance’ for protests in support of Gaza in Israel.

Israel's top police officer, Kobi Shabtai, has given a strong warning about protests supporting Gaza in Israel. He said there would be "zero tolerance" for such protests and even suggested sending anti-war protesters to Gaza.

In a video posted on TikTok by the Israeli police, Shabtai made these remarks. Israeli media reported on it after the police dispersed a rally in Haifa supporting Gaza and arrested six people.

Shabtai stated, "If anyone wants to be an Israeli citizen, they are welcome. But if someone identifies with Gaza, I'll put them on the buses heading there."

He also mentioned that there would be no tolerance for any form of encouragement or authorization for protests. He stressed that Israel is in a state of war and cannot allow various people to challenge them.

Since the beginning of the conflict in Gaza on October 7, 63 people in Israel have been arrested for supporting or encouraging "terror," according to the Israeli police.

The police are closely monitoring social media to find Palestinians in Israel expressing support for Hamas, the group in charge of Gaza.

Israel has imposed a "complete siege" on Gaza, cutting off access to essentials like food, water, electricity, and fuel for its 2.3 million residents. This happened after Hamas fighters in Gaza attacked southern Israel on October 7. Israeli authorities claim that more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the attack, with thousands injured and almost 200 taken captive by Hamas.

In response to the attack, Israel carried out extensive airstrikes in Gaza, causing significant destruction. Palestinian authorities reported more than 3,400 casualties and over 12,000 wounded in the Israeli assault.

Assistant Commissioner Dror Asraf explained that after the 2021 war with Gaza, Israel established a "war room" to counter incitement. They are now closely monitoring online incitement, planning, or operational information that disrupts public order and harms others.

In other news, the ethics panel of the Israeli parliament suspended Ofer Cassif, a left-wing parliament member, for making statements deemed anti-Israel after the war started. Cassif accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government of carrying out a plan in Gaza similar to the Nazis' "Final Solution" against Jews in Europe. He also suggested that Israel wanted the violence that occurred following the Hamas attack.

According to the Jerusalem Post, Cassif has been suspended for 45 days. In response, Cassif called this decision "another blow to political freedom of expression" and emphasized his condemnation of Hamas's actions. He stated that his political statements were against the occupation and the war, not against Israel, which also seeks peace and justice.