Likud MK Miki Zohar has sparked outrage by comparing the media focus on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the murder of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.
"The political persecution of the prime minister has crossed every line and in my eyes, it is no less than the Rabin murder," Zohar said Monday in an interview on the Knesset Channel.
"The character assassination and political persecution of the prime minister by the Left, under the auspices of the media, have crossed every line," Zohar said. "The networks are dominated by lies, fabrications and tall tales, which, in my view, is as bad as murder.
"Everyone agrees that this is political persecution," he continued. "In November 1995, a despicable murderer, who refused to accept the decision of the voters, went and assassinated the prime minister. [Now] the Left is also unwilling to accept the decision of the voters and is assassinating the character of the prime minister in an unprecedented way.
"The faltering opposition, which couldn't win the election and is losing the faith of the people, needs to take a look at itself instead of attacking someone who puts the cards on the table and tells the people the truth," Zohar said.
The Zionist Union responded to Zohar's comments by saying they represented a "total loss of values."
MK Tamar Zandberg (Meretz) said, "It's astonishing to see how, in order to defend a corrupt prime minister, Likud members are willing to toss around the loathsome political murder committed by Yigal Amir [Rabin's assassin]."
Even fellow Likud member MK Oren Hazan objected to his colleague's remarks, saying, "Nothing resembles the Rabin assassination. That was a terrible political murder that rocked the nation and will be remembered forever."
