Israelis Rally Against Netanyahu, Demand His Resignation

Demonstrations took place in several Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv, to protest against the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Protesters criticised Netanyahu’s policies and demanded his resignation. Some demonstrators also accused Netanyahu of prolonging the war without a clear political direction. According to the Hebrew-language newspaper Haaretz, hundreds of Israelis participated in rallies held at various locations on Saturday to openly oppose Netanyahu’s government. Haaretz reported that 1,000 demonstrators joined the main protest at Habima Square in central Tel Aviv. Protests also occurred in occupied Jerusalem, where Israeli police confiscated loudspeakers used by demonstrators gathered at Paris Square near Netanyahu’s residence, citing noise prevention reasons. At the main Tel Aviv rally, demonstrator Carmit Palty Katzir criticised the government’s policies. Katzir’s father was killed in the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023, while her mother and brother were held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip before being released. She stated that more than 1,000 Israelis have been killed since October 2023, with tens of thousands suffering physical and psychological injuries. Katzir accused Netanyahu of extending the war without a clear political direction, claiming the prime minister’s main objective is his own political survival. Separately, former deputy head of Israel’s National Security Council, Eran Etzion, who participated in a protest in the northern city of Haifa, warned demonstrators to be wary of calls for national unity before elections. Etzion said such calls are used to silence the public and obscure political differences. Similar protests were held in cities and intersections in northern Israel, including Karkur, A ula, Rosh Pina, and Nahariya, as well as in the southern city of Beersheba. The wave of protests in Israel comes amid intensifying domestic debate over the government’s policies and the security and military developments in the region. Israel continues to strike Lebanon, claiming to target the Iran-backed Hezbollah group. These deadly attacks were launched after the US-mediated ceasefire in Lebanon was extended over the weekend. Israeli officials have also stressed they are not bound by the US-Iran peace agreement that governs the cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon.