Deputy Commissioner Yoram Sofer, one of the leading candidates to be Israel’s next Police Commissioner, fiercely criticized the demonstrations against the government and its judicial reform plan and the protesters’ behavior.
“With me, they didn’t block roads, but I dealt with them with a heavy hand because that’s what I think. Thuggery is thuggery whoever attacks police officers attacks the state of Israel, not me personally whoever spits on police officers spits on the state of Israel. If talking to them is enough, it’s enough. Why should we allow them to harm the public for eight months?” he wondered during an interview with Channel 12.
He discussed the demonstrators’ claim that their actions were justified in the face of the danger to democracy. “If you want to do something against democracy, there are elections I’m not the tool.”
Regarding his future relationship as the Commissioner with National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, he stated: “You have to trust me that I will do my job in any place, without paying attention to everything around me. I can do that as the Commissioner. Why must I say ‘no’ to the National Security Minister? You have to understand where the minister is going.”