Indictment Filed Against Basra Resident for Inciting Violence Against Israeli Officials
The State Attorney's Office has filed an indictment against Binyamin Shamil, a 63-year-old resident of Basra, for multiple charges including inciting terrorism, inciting violence, and making threats. The indictment, submitted at the Magistrate's Court in Petah Tikva, highlights Shamil's use of social media platform 'X' (formerly Twitter) to express violent sentiments against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other government officials.
According to the indictment, Shamil's tweets, posted during October and November 2023, contained explicit calls for violence and encouragement of terrorist acts. He referred to Netanyahu with phrases such as "he should be hunted with a shotgun" and made comparisons to historical figures like Ceausescu and Gaddafi, suggesting a violent end for the Prime Minister. Shamil also threatened Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Justice Minister Yariv Levin, stating that they would face dire consequences for their actions.
The prosecution has requested Shamil's arrest until the conclusion of legal proceedings, citing the real and obvious danger posed by his statements in the current tense political climate in Israel.
