Soldier arrested for posting 'I'll be the next Yigal Amir' on Facebook

Israeli soldier implicitly threatened to carry out political assassination "if a leftist takes power" • His attorney says arrest is "unnecessary" as the soldier posted the comment during a heated debate a month and a half ago and deleted it hours later.

An Israel Defense Forces soldier was arrested on Monday on suspicion of incitement to violence and making death threats against left-wing political candidates on social media.

A day before the Knesset elections, the soldier allegedly wrote on his Facebook page: "If a leftist takes power, I promise and swear on my soul that I will be the next Yigal Amir."

Amir is currently serving a life sentence for the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995.

During questions, the soldier confessed to the allegations against him and his remand was extended.

"This is a young man who does not have a criminal record," said his attorney Benny Zeitouni.

"He participated in an Internet discussion about a month and a half ago where soldiers who fought in Operation Protective Edge were disparaged. In a fit of rage he wrote this comment. Not even for a minute did he intend to act on it, and he says that he deleted it several hours later.

"Arresting him a month and a half after he made the comment and deleted it is unnecessary, and I hope that he will be released by tomorrow."

טעינו? נתקן! אם מצאתם טעות בכתבה, נשמח שתשתפו אותנו
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