Israel PM Netanyahu warns of growing violence and death threats as protests continue

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned of growing violence and death threats as protests continue against his government's planned judicial reforms.

Netanyahu criticized the "growing wave of daily incitement, that crosses boundaries," his office said on Sunday. He also spoke of "an explicit threat to murder the prime minister of Israel" as well threats against other elected officials.

He was referring to a Facebook post by an Israeli reserve colonel. It said, among other things: "If a prime minister comes along and assumes dictatorial powers, that prime minister is marked by death ... along with his ministers and the people doing his bidding."

The former fighter pilot who led the Israeli Air Force's 1981 attack on Iraq's nuclear reactor, later distanced himself from the post. Police nevertheless launched an investigation.

For weeks, Israelis have been demonstrating against Netanyahu's far-right government's plan to deliberately weaken the country's judicial system. Experts explicitly warn that the reform would endanger democracy in Israel.

Netanyahu said of the threat against him: "I know that there is a debate over what endangers democracy but this is not something that is subject to dispute – this truly endangers democracy."

In the face of further calls for violent resistance to reform, the head of the domestic intelligence agency Shin Bet, Ronen Bar, announced a "zero tolerance policy" against incitement to violence.