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Former prime minister Naftali Bennett asserted that Israel will cease being a democratic state if journalists grow to fear criticizing the government.<\/p>\n
Former prime minister Naftali Bennett<\/a> decried threats made against Arab Israeli journalist Lucy Aharish in a statement released on Monday.<\/p>\n “Sending paid thugs to Lucy Aharish\u2019s private home to terrorize her and her family is a dangerous crossing of a red line,\u201d Bennett stated, referencing an incident in which two right-wing<\/a> activists attempted to intimidate Aharish at her home.<\/p>\n Such harassment is made even more serious when carried out \u201cwith the encouragement or blind eye of government ministers,\u201d Bennett continued.<\/p>\n He asserted that Israel will cease being a democratic state if journalists grow to fear criticizing<\/a> the government.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will also cease to be a Jewish state, because the foundation of Jewish heritage is freedom, free criticism, and checks on absolute power,\u201d Bennett stated.<\/p>\n