High Court Denounces Threats Against Azaria Judges

The angry public reaction against the conviction of Sgt. Elor Azaria of manslaughter on Wednesday has gone too far, High Court President Miriam Naor said on Thursday, The Times of Israel reported.

“The president of the Supreme Court and her fellow judges cannot stand idly by in the face of the unprecedented attacks and the threats directed at the judges of the military court,” she said in a statement.

“We strongly condemn the flagrant attacks that we are witness to now, which have no place in a civilized society,” Naor added in a statement on behalf of herself and the other judges on the bench. “Pointed criticism of verdicts are of course legitimate, but what is happening now crosses all lines of legitimate discourse and represents a threat to the rule of law and democracy.”

Security details for military tribunal judge Maya Heller, and her two colleagues Lt. Col. Carmel Wahabi and Lt. Col. Yaron Sitbo, were tightened on Wednesday, amid reports of thousands of threats of violence against them on social media and elsewhere.

Police arrested two people on suspicion of incitement against the judges. Both were released to house arrest Thursday, on condition that they stay off social media and keep away from Heller.