Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for an end to incitement by the anti-reform movement on Monday, after protesters set up mock graves outside the offices of his Religious Zionism Party in Jerusalem.
“Enough incitement!” he posted in Hebrew, along with pictorial examples of recent incidents. One of the pictures was of the mock graves.
די להסתה! pic.twitter.com/IJagYqRzdg
— בצלאל סמוטריץ' (@bezalelsm) August 14, 2023
The activists also posted large stickers at the building entrance reading, “Warning! Terror supporters and coup architects work in this building.”
The organizers said the stunt was meant to bring attention to the party’s alleged support for “terror incidents against Palestinians and their efforts to agitate.”
Standing Together, Peace Now, Breaking the Silence and Combatants for Peace were behind the stunt.
Religious Zionism Party CEO Yehuda Veld also criticized the mock graves, calling it a “hate project” by “extreme left-wing elements.”
“We will not give in to violence, we will not give in to hatred, we will not give in to incitement. In the face of the evil that dances on the blood of the dead, we will continue to work for the unity of the people and the continuation of the Zionist enterprise,” said Veld.
The other image posted by Smotrich was a campaign ad by the Brothers in Arms protest organization depicting Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant covered in targets. A similar ad featured Smotrich instead of Gallant.
The protest group claimed that they re-edited the ad after it led to an uproar, but the targets remained.