The New Hope Party increased security around its leader, Gideon Sa’ar, on Sunday, following altercations with dozens of Likud activists who came to a New Hope rally at Moshav Azarya in the Gezer Regional Council on Saturday night.
The Likud activists surrounded Sa’ar’s car and tried to damage it. They threw eggs and other projectiles at New Hope supporters, one of whom had to be evacuated by ambulance.
The Likud activists insulted New Hope supporters, calling them traitors among other names, and used loudspeakers to disrupt the rally.
Sa’ar accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of sending the disrupters, which he said was a sign that he was taking New Hope seriously as a threat to his leadership.
“There has been no condemnation by Netanyahu,” he told KAN Reshet Bet on Sunday. “Whoever sends bullies to harm a rally and uses violence to threaten people feels threatened by us.”
Sa’ar said Netanyahu has also not silenced activists at Likud rallies who called him a traitor. He said Netanyahu was a “coward” and reiterated his request for a debate.
Netanyahu has not responded to Sa’ar’s request. He has said he would debate Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid if he formally declared himself a candidate for prime minister, which he has not done for technical reasons.