Ex-Israeli security chief slams Netanyahu’s ‘government of terror’

The former chief of Israel's Shin Bet security service on Wednesday termed the coalition government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as "a government of terror."

Speaking at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) in Tel Aviv in central Israel, Yuval Diskin warned of a civil war in Israel due to a proposed judicial overhaul by the Netanyahu's government.

Diskin warned that Netanyahu's moves to change the judicial system may lead to a "coup" and ruin Israel's national unity.

"The most common denominator that brings Jews, Christians, and Muslims together in Israel is its democracy," Diskin said. "Without democracy, values, and separation of power, Israel will cease to exist."

The proposed judicial reform has triggered mass protests across Israel in recent weeks.

Diskin also decried a recent Israeli settler attack on a Palestinian village that left dozens of Palestinian properties vandalized.

"My heart is also with the residents of Huwara, which suffered a terrible pogrom at the hands of hundreds of Jewish thugs," he said.

"I am ashamed and embarrassed by their actions. They and their rabbis are part of a cult, and will never be my brothers. They bring shame, and we must hold them accountable and bring them to justice."

A Palestinian was killed when dozens of Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian town of Huwara on Sunday and vandalized several Palestinian homes and vehicles. The violence followed the killing of two Israeli settlers in a shooting attack in the town.

The Israeli authorities did not announce any arrest or measures against the perpetrators of the attack on the Palestinian town.

Violence escalated across the occupied territories in recent weeks amid repeated Israeli military raids into Palestinian towns.

According to Palestinian figures, at least 66 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the start of the year. Twelve Israelis were also killed in attacks by Palestinians in the same period.