The Prime Minister used Facebook to make the following comment concerning the guilty verdict in the Elor Azaria case:
This is a difficult and painful day for all of us – first and foremost for Elor Azaria and his family, IDF soldiers, many citizens and parents of soldiers, myself included.
I call on all Israeli citizens to act responsibly toward the IDF, its commanders and staff. We have one army which is based our existence. IDF soldidealers are our sons and daughters, and they must remain beyond any dispute.
I support giving amnesty Elor Azeria.
Whether out of sincere conviction that a great injustice was done or a shrewd populist move, the Prime Minister has with one statement dismantled the leftwing of the country. The entire media except for rightwing sites, attacked Azaria from the start. The incessant interest to smear an innocent soldier was part of the left’s game plan to hold the IDF hostage. The problem is that most of the country has sons and daughters in the IDF and this could have happened to them. By Bibi being able identify with them, he has given energy to what will be seen in years to come as a movement to take back Israel from the judicial tryaranny it now finds itself in.