Activist arrested over alleged threats to murder Israeli minister

Suspect, who apparently had previously threatened Netanyahu, is to remain in police custody until Sunday.

By ALON HOCHMON, JPOST.COM STAFF
Updated: DECEMBER 15, 2016 16:39
Naftali Bennett (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Naftali Bennett
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
A 22-year-old Israeli right-wing activist was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of threatening to murder Education and Diaspora Affairs Minister Affairs Naftali Bennett, as part of his protest against the government decision to evacuate the Amona outpost in the West Bank.
The Jerusalem Magistrate's Court ruled on Thursday that the activist will remain in police custody until Sunday. It appears that the suspect was previously indicted for threatening to kill Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to police, the suspect sent a message to a Whatsapp group dubbed "Merciless revenge." In his message he attached a photo of the Israeli flag next to an Uzi rifle, with the caption: "Someone ought to take out Naftali Bennett."
Police investigators questioned the suspect overnight regarding charges of threats and incitement.
The alleged threat was made in the context of Bennett's attempt to negotiation a relocation deal with residents of the West Bank outpost built illegally on private Palestinian land.
In recent days, Bennett has received a bolstered security entourage to protect him from threats against right-wing activists in light of the slated December 25 evacuation of the Amona outpost.
Late on Wednesday, the 40 Amona families rejected Bennett's proposal to relocate the outpost homes to abandoned Palestinian property on the same hilltop, where Amona is currently located. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had also approved the offer.
Eliyahu Kamisher contributed to this report.