Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday unleashed another attack on the corruption investigations against him.
"If it's not Bibi, there's no investigation," he told a crowd of his supporters at the Tel Aviv Convention Center.
Thousands of Likud activists, ministers and Knesset members attended the event to mark the upcoming Passover holiday, which quickly turned into a support rally for the embattled prime minister.
Netanyahu opened his speech by noting the considerable public support he has received.
"Two days ago we held a cabinet meeting in Dimona and it was an extraordinary experience," he said. "I was thrilled to see the city's incredible growth – multistory buildings, parks. This doesn't just happen – it happens because together we are creating the immense change taking place in Israel. Interchanges, hospitals, universities, it's all being built, it's all blooming."
The prime minister continued, "When I got here a dear friend of mine … asked me where I find the strength to cope with all the nonsense and persecution."
"Well, the answer is: You are my strength," he told the crowd. "Time after time I am awestruck by your support, the support from the people of Israel. Sometimes I break with protocol and force my security detail to allow me to stop somewhere, to buy a falafel. I go into a gas station, when no one planned it, and people there give me incredible support. They tell me the most important thing: 'Prime minister, things are good for us in Israel.' They see our achievements in the economy, tourism, foreign relations. How far can you go to hide these achievements? Even the media can't do it," he said.
'A unified chorus'
"Like in any family, some choose the [traditional Passover food] charoset – and that's the majority; and some choose to eat the bitter herbs – and that's the minority," the prime minister said. "The truth is that millions of regular citizens can see the government's tremendous achievements and are able to appreciate them. We don't see life through rose-colored glasses – we look at reality square in the eyes, and because of that we are also well aware of the importance of power in the environment in which we live."
Netanyahu then went on to reiterate his claims about the investigations into his conduct: "Elements in the media are applying pressure on law enforcement officials to topple us [our government]. The most important reason for the overwhelming support for us in this country is the sense of justice – or more precisely the sense of injustice. A great many people see what is being done to us in the media and understand it's a fixed game, that this is a witch hunt.
"The media chorus is so unified that it even rejects the right to express a different opinion. This is thought police. They look time and again and don't find anything – and they won't this time either. On the other hand, when there are clear-cut findings about someone else – they don't touch him. An entire group of Knesset members accepted Yedioth Ahronoth publisher [Arnon Mozes'] law proposal against Israel Hayom, which would have made Yedioth Ahronoth millions of shekels. They supported this bill in the Knesset and in exchange received coddling coverage – and no one did a thing.
"I don't think it is right to turn relationships between journalists and politicians into a criminal investigation, but how is it possible that I am under investigation and they are not? How is it possible that there is no demand to investigate the Yesh Atid ministers who gave millions to Yedioth Ahronoth in government publicity and received coddling coverage? It's selective law enforcement, but there was nothing, and there will be nothing," the prime minister concluded.
