Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Jerusalem on Monday evening near the home of the Israeli Prime Minister and the Knesset (parliament). They called for early elections, criticizing Benjamin Netanyahu for his leadership of the war in the Gaza Strip and his failure to repatriate “dozens” of hostages still in the hands of Hamas.
“I’m glad to see people come. And I hope this continues. A siege must be imposed on Jerusalem, on the Knesset. We must paralyze the country to overthrow the government,” said Yaakov Godot, whose son Tom was killed by Hamas militants on October 7.
The demonstration came about a week after the military cabinet resignations of centrist leaders Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, two former army chiefs, led to the dissolution of the body created after the Oct. 7 attack.
Despite the departure of these two opposition figures, who joined the government in a show of unity after the Hamas attacks, Netanyahu and his allies maintain their majority in the Knesset.
On Monday evening, after reaching Netanyahu’s home, some protesters dispersed and tried to break through barriers erected by police, who pushed and pulled them back.
The police used a water cannon to disperse the crowd. Nine people were arrested, some for assaulting police officers, police said.
Many waved Israeli flags. Others carried signs criticizing Netanyahu’s handling of critical issues, such as his promotion of a controversial military bill exempting ultra-Orthodox Jews from compulsory service, as well as his handling of the war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the fight against Lebanon’s Hezbollah. “His every action is aimed at the destruction of Israel. He is responsible for what happened on October 7,” accused Moshe Sandarovich, 73, a retired engineer.
“I’m glad to see people come. And I hope this continues. A siege must be imposed on Jerusalem, on the Knesset. We must paralyze the country to overthrow the government,” said Yaakov Godot, whose son Tom was killed by Hamas militants on October 7.
A calmer situation in the Gaza Strip
Since the beginning of the humanitarian pause observed by the army in the southern sector, observers have noted relative calm. The pause, announced on Sunday to coincide with the first day of Eid al-Adha, the Muslim festival of sacrifice, is in theory intended to facilitate the delivery of aid desperately needed by Gazans.
On the Israel-Lebanon border, on the other hand, gun battles have occurred almost daily since October, and attacks by Lebanese Hezbollah have intensified following the death last week of one of its most important commanders, Taleb Sami Abdullah, in an Israeli strike. . On Monday, the Israeli army announced that it had killed Mohammad Mustafa Ayoub, another senior Hezbollah member responsible for launching rockets and missiles in the Selaa region of southern Lebanon. Hezbollah confirmed the death of the militant.
At the same time, a senior Israeli official involved in the negotiations said Israel knows with certainty that “dozens” of hostages held in the Gaza Strip are alive. “We can’t leave them there for long, they will die,” the official added, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
Negotiations are still ongoing
US President Joe Biden’s special envoy Amos Hochstein arrived in Jerusalem on Monday to push for de-escalation of relations with Lebanon.
Moreover, while the UN welcomed Israel’s announcement of a humanitarian pause, it asked that the pause “lead to other concrete measures” to facilitate supplies, and once again called for the removal of “all obstacles” to the delivery of aid to areas where the population has no spirit to celebrate.
Source: Le Parisien
I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.
