In one of the first major anti-government protests in Israel since the start of the war with Hamas on October 7th, hundreds of protesters gathered in Tel Aviv and demanded immediate elections.
According to Times of Israel, the protesters, who were protesting the management of the ongoing war in Gaza and the government’s unsuccessful efforts to free remaining hostages, shouted slogans against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the hardline coalition ruling Israel.
The crowd in the streets of Tel Aviv, holding signs with the words “Immediate elections” and “Mothers’ cry: Free the hostages from Gaza,” emphasized that a different government is needed to save Israel from the current crisis.
This section contains relevant reference points, placed in (Inner related node field)
These protests come as Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, said at a press conference on Saturday evening that efforts are being made to reach a new agreement for the release of remaining hostages, but he stressed that he does not want to “raise unrealistic expectations.”
Families and other supporters of the hostages’ freedom have been demanding Netanyahu’s action for weeks through demonstrations.
While Israel’s war with Hamas has entered its twelfth week, many protesters insist that elections should be held even in the midst of this conflict, stating that a change in Israel’s policies is needed to win the war against Hamas.
Large anti-government protests that had become a fundamental challenge to Netanyahu in the months leading up to October 7 were immediately halted with the start of the war, but some small protests have been held in the weeks following, including one in Jerusalem in early November that attracted hundreds.
Last week, protests against the government were also held in Tel Aviv, Kaisaria, and other areas, but this Saturday night’s protests were not as widespread.
The intensification of protests against Netanyahu comes after the Israeli Prime Minister said, with just one day left until the end of 2023, that the war in Gaza will last for months. He emphasized, “Israel is fighting on all fronts and needs more time to win.”
After nearly 12 weeks of extensive attacks on Gaza, Israel has not yet been able to achieve its goals in this war. Therefore, Netanyahu added that the war will continue until the main goals of the attack on Gaza, namely the “destruction of Hamas” and the “return of the hostages home,” are achieved.