Israel police chief Kobi Shabtai threatens to transport anti-war demonstrators to Gaza

Israel's police chief, Kobi Shabtai, has announced a hard-line stance on protests held in support of Gaza within Israel. In a stern warning, he threatened to deport anti-war demonstrators to the occupied Palestinian territory, Gaza, which has been facing ongoing daily bombardment from Israel for almost two weeks now. The police chief's statement was streamed via video on the Israeli police's TikTok channel on Tuesday, which escalated into a sensation in the Israeli media by Wednesday.

The startling declaration from the police chief occurred right after the Israeli police disbanded a pro-Gaza rally in Haifa. Proving he meant business, six demonstrators from the rally were put under arrest. In a no-nonsense demeanor, Shabtai asserted that while new Israeli citizens were welcome, those sympathizing with Gaza would also be welcomed, but would be deported to Gaza in the next available buses.

The police chief further reiterated that there would be absolute intolerance against any form of civil unrest. Any official permit for protests, according to him, would stand null under this new directive. Justifying the stern stance, he mentioned that Israel was in a 'state of war' and could not afford to handle internal protests during such critical times.

The police's exhaustive crackdown on protestors has led to the arrest of 63 people since the onset of the Gaza war on October 7. Suspected of supporting or inciting "terror", the detainees were identified by scrutinizing their social media actions, especially those who demonstrated open support for Hamas.

Meanwhile, political tension has escalated within the Israeli parliament following the suspension of left-wing member, Ofer Cassif, for his alleged anti-Israel remarks post the Gaza war. The parliament member expressed his distress over the decision in a recent social media post, condemning the action as an attack on political expression.