Moral Decay
Police Arrest Tel Aviv University Professor Over Violent Incitement Post
Police arrested Dr. Yolanda Yavor, a Tel Aviv University professor, on suspicion of publishing a post that incited to violence and "real rebellion" against Prime Minister Netanyahu, leading to a court decision that found a "suspicion of a call for violence."
A professor from Tel Aviv University has been arrested on suspicion of publishing highly inflammatory and inciting content online directed against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Dr. Yolanda Yavor, a resident of Or Akiva who works in the university’s Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies and the Department of Bible, was detained by police following a viral social media post that authorities have labeled as "violent, inciting, and dangerous."
The arrest and subsequent police request to extend her detention underscore a serious internal challenge for Israel, where incitements to violence, even from academic circles, are being treated with utmost severity by law enforcement.
The Inciting Post
Dr. Yavor’s post, which directly led to her arrest, called for a violent overthrow of the government and contained graphic historical references. In the post, she wrote:
“The only choice before us is to be - meaning: to fight the traitor, the mouthpieces, the damned collaborators, and his ragtag Freikorps militias with full force and by all means - or to cease. Choose correctly, my brothers and sisters. There won’t be another round. We said ‘democracy or rebellion,’ remember? So, let’s go - rebellion. But a real one, imported from Romania, not an AliExpress‑Kaplan corner edition.”
The reference to a "rebellion imported from Romania" evokes the 1989 Romanian Revolution, a highly violent event that resulted in the execution of the country’s communist dictator and mass civilian casualties. Furthermore, her use of the term "Freikorps militias" refers to the German paramilitary groups that emerged after World War I, notorious for political assassinations and brutal violence against left-wing opponents.
Dr. Yavor added further inflammatory statements in the post, including: "You don’t topple a dictatorship at the ballot box," "Netanyahu is a traitor," and a direct threat, "We’re coming to get you."
Police and Court Action
The Coastal District police investigation concluded that the content met the threshold for detention. Police representatives emphasized the severity of the offense, which they attribute to the publication of "praise, sympathy, or encouragement for acts of terrorism."
Police noted that as a university professor who "claims to be knowledgeable in texts," Dr. Yavor "knows very well the meaning of her words." Authorities also pointed to the public risk, stating, "She has thousands of followers who are exposed, and there are shares, so it is impossible to estimate how many have been exposed to it."
On Saturday, the Haifa Magistrate's Court extended Dr. Yavor's detention by one day. The presiding judge stated that "there is indeed suspicion of a call for violence." While the judge noted the professor’s cooperation with the investigation and her belief that her words were not a direct incitement to violence, the judge ultimately found a basis for continued detention due to the danger posed, and minor concerns about obstruction of justice.
In a brief statement made from her detention cell, Dr. Yavor disputed the police's claims regarding the nature of the interrogation, stating they repeatedly pressed her about her political choices: "Lies... You kept asking me over and over who I would vote for." Her trial is scheduled to begin, pending further judicial decisions on her continued detention.