Court unmasks Tamar Gershoni as would-be Netanyahu assassin

Gershoni was arrested about two and a half weeks ago, and on Tuesday, the Supreme Court lifted the gag order on her name after her lawyers appealed a Tel Aviv District Court ruling that permitted its publication. The court upheld restrictions on publishing her married surname and city of residence.

According to the investigation findings, after Gershoni learned she had a terminal illness, she allegedly declared: “If I’m going to die, I’ll take Netanyahu with me.”

She met twice at her home with a fellow protester, arranging the meetings through the Signal app, and asked for his help in obtaining an RPG missile. The protester realized she was serious and reported her to Gonen Ben Yitzhak, a prominent protest figure, who passed the information to the Shin Bet. Given her medical condition, her legal proceedings are expected to be fast-tracked.

The decision to lift the gag order was made last week by the Tel Aviv District Court. Her lawyers, Giora Zilberstein and Guy Arenberg, argued that revealing her identity could expose her to political harm, but the court ruled that in any other case, such information would be made public. The appeal temporarily delayed publication, but the Supreme Court ultimately approved it.

Gershoni is a familiar face in anti-Netanyahu demonstrations, though she is not affiliated with any official protest group. She belonged to a group of activists who pushed for “escalation” in the movement. A message from their WhatsApp group in May stated: “After two and a half years, we are convinced that the current protest format has run its course and must escalate in order to reach a decision and bring down the tyrant and his blood-soaked government. We believe a resolution will come only through a concentrated, sustained public effort focused on a single, clear goal.”

Gershoni, planned to assassinate Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with an RPG missile

(Photo: Shalev Shalom)

The group called on the “Free in Our Land” headquarters and other leading protest figures to “rise to the moment, commit, and lead the protest with determined, active engagement” around the prime minister’s residence in Jerusalem and other “symbols of authority.”

Acquaintances of Gershoni said she denies the charges. They described the past days as physically and emotionally difficult for her. On the one hand, she is undergoing debilitating chemotherapy; on the other, she is being bombarded with hateful comments online. “This hit her like a bolt from the blue,” said someone close to her. “She feels betrayed and denies ever saying what’s attributed to her.”

Following the revelations, the protest movement headquarters issued a statement: “We strongly condemn any form of violence, especially the kind alleged in recent reports. We commend those protesters who raised the alarm. We stand for nonviolent, lawful protest.”

According to the indictment, which charges her with attempting to conspire to commit a terrorist act, Gershoni sought out individuals who could provide details about Netanyahu’s security arrangements. She also held several meetings focused on the planned assassination after a broader gathering of eight activists who discussed options for intensifying the street protests. Gershoni held encrypted conversations via a secure app in an attempt to cover her tracks and used the platform to request face-to-face meetings with fellow activists.

In a previous court decision, the judge ordered that Gershoni remain under full house arrest until the end of legal proceedings. “There is a tangible risk that she may try again to carry out her plan against the prime minister or another government figure,” the court noted, citing a high level of danger.