Israel elections: Knife-carrying man threatening left-wing leader arrested

Israeli police on Tuesday arrested a man with a knife who moved threateningly towards Yair Golan, leader of Israel's main left-wing party, as he mobilized voters in Tel Aviv on election day, his party said.

"Incitement and violence will not intimidate us," Golan said in a statement, blaming the incident on the "poison machine" of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has sharply attacked the left in his campaign.

Golan was trying to get out the vote at a park in Tel Aviv when a stranger approached him in a threatening manner, said his party, The Democrats.

When Golan's security guards blocked the man, a large knife fell out of his clothing, the party added. The security guards then arrested him.

Police confirmed that the man was arrested and had been carrying a knife. They said he was a Jerusalem resident in his 20s.

Golan, a former military officer, heads the main left-wing party The Democrats, which brought together remnants of Israel's Labor Party, which led the country for its first three decades.

He is in an electoral alliance with opposition candidates led by former army chief Gadi Eisenkot, but takes positions further to the left.

Golan is the only major party candidate in Israel who still backs a two-state solution with the Palestinians. He also takes liberal positions on social issues such as LGBTQ equality.

Tuesday's incident follows a feud in which Golan said the state was offering him insufficient security, which was elevated shortly before the election.