• Israeli lawmaker Tally Gotliv has called for the arrest of Yuli Novak, B’Tselem’s executive director, accusing her of “assisting the enemy” after Novak condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza during a UN speech.
• B’Tselem stands by Novak, reaffirming their mission to document Israeli human rights abuses, as over 40,000 Palestinians have been killed since the escalation in Gaza began.
In a disturbing attack on free speech and human rights advocacy, Israeli lawmaker Tally Gotliv has called for the detention and interrogation of Yuli Novak, executive director of the human rights group B’Tselem. The Likud party member issued a letter to Israel’s police commissioner, urging that Novak be investigated under charges of “assisting the enemy in war”—a crime that carries the possibility of life imprisonment or even the death penalty under Israeli law. This unprecedented move follows Novak’s powerful speech at the United Nations Security Council, where she condemned Israel’s military actions in Gaza as war crimes and accused the Israeli government of pursuing a policy of “Jewish supremacy.”
Novak’s speech, delivered via video link to the UN on September 4, 2024, pulled no punches. She exposed Israel’s ongoing campaign of collective punishment against Palestinians, which has led to the deaths of over 40,000 Palestinians—many of them women and children—since the war on Gaza began.
In her address, Novak accused the Israeli government of manipulating the trauma of the October attack to further entrench its control over the occupied Palestinian territories, perpetuating policies of ethnic cleansing, starvation, and mass killings.
In response, Gotliv framed Novak’s speech as a direct threat to Israel’s security, claiming that she was “aiding the enemy” by spreading lies about Israel’s military objectives. Gotliv’s letter to Police Commissioner Daniel Levy argued that Novak’s statements were not only false but dangerous, as they allegedly undermined Israel’s military strategy and risked the lives of Israeli soldies. Gotliv’s appeal called for Novak to be investigated while in detention, a draconian move that threatens to criminalize legitimate criticism of Israel’s human rights abuses.
B’Tselem, an organization dedicated to documenting Israeli violations of Palestinian rights, has long been a thorn in the side of the Israeli government. In 2021, the group released a report labeling Israel as an apartheid state, which led to sharp backlash from pro-government forces. However, the recent attack on Novak goes beyond previous tensions. By seeking to invoke laws designed for wartime treason, Israel is attempting to blur the line between legitimate human rights work and acts of “treason,” in an effort to discredit and silence those who expose its abuses.
B’Tselem has responded defiantly to Gotliv’s accusations, reaffirming its mission to speak out against the atrocities committed under the Israeli occupation. “While the government chooses occupation and war over saving human lives, we will continue to act on behalf of all those who suffer from violations of their rights,” a B’Tselem spokesperson stated in response to the arrest threats. The organization has made clear that it will not be silenced, despite Israel’s attempts to paint its work as dangerous or subversive.
