Demonstrations have resumed in Israel against the government of Benjamin Netanyahu. And last night, tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrated in central Tel Aviv to express their opposition to the policies of the ruling coalition, which includes right-wing and far-right parties, as well as other extremist religious parties, which they fear is the largest demonstration since then. how the government of Benjamin Netanyahu, the most extremist government in the country’s history, with just over 9 million people, was sworn in on December 29.
Israeli media reported that the number of demonstrators reached 80,000, while smaller rallies were organized in Jerusalem, where about 1,000 demonstrators gathered outside the residences of Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Netanyahu, according to local media, as well as in the northern city of Haifa.
The demonstrators gathered at the invitation of an anti-corruption organization, chanting slogans calling for “saving democracy” and preventing the “overthrow of the political system” that has been operating in Israel since its inception in 1948.
Both centrist and leftist parties and the Front-Arab Alliance for Change, formed by two Arab-Israeli parties, have called for demonstrations, especially against the judiciary reform project introduced Jan. 4 by the Netanyahu government, which is being pursued in several alleged corruption cases. On these issues, the demonstrators demanded the resignation of the prime minister.
The demonstrators also include opponents of the Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank and the “LGBT community” movement, who are concerned about the presence of homophobic ministers in the government.
According to a correspondent for the French Press, there was a peaceful atmosphere in Habima Square, as many Israelis came with their families despite the rain. The demonstrators chanted their slogans while holding umbrellas.
Many political figures were in attendance, including Labor Party leader Merav Michaeli, former Defense Minister Benny Gantz and former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. Hebrew, Arabic and English posters held by demonstrators in Habima Square reflected a variety of demands: “It’s time to overthrow the dictator”, “Government of shame”, “No democracy with occupation” and “Bibi doesn’t want democracy, we don’t need fascists in the Knesset “.
But most often the slogan “democracy democracy” was repeated.
Speaking at the podium, Ayala Procaccia, a former Supreme Court judge, said the people “will not allow the destruction of the values that underpin our system.”
The Black Flags movement, which called for the demonstration, waged a lengthy protest campaign against Netanyahu from July 2020 to June 2021, demanding his resignation due to corruption scandals in which he was implicated.
Netanyahu, leader of the right-wing Likud party, was ousted from power in 2021 by a diverse electoral coalition that lasted less than a year.
However, he returned to the premiership at the end of December after November’s legislative elections, the fifth in four years, and the results reflected a split among the voters and divisions within Israeli society.
And former Defense Secretary Benny Gantz (center-right) urged on Friday on Twitter “the entire Israeli people, left and right, to demonstrate to preserve Israeli democracy,” adding, “This is a first-degree civic duty.”
