Hundreds of people protested against the government across Israel on Saturday, with demonstrators calling to protect the integrity of the upcoming elections at Habima Square in Tel Aviv.
Former minister and Israel Prize laureate Prof. Avishai Braverman told protesters that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “personal survival” was guiding him and that he would do “everything” to remain in power. If the government is not replaced in the upcoming election, he warned, “the Zionist enterprise will come to an end.”
In Kiryat Ono, a man posing as a municipal employee spat at female protesters, tore down signs and tried to grab others from demonstrators, protesters said. A police vehicle arrived at the scene, and the protesters said they intended to file a complaint against the man.
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Demonstration against the government at Habima Square in Tel Aviv, Saturday evening. Credit: Tomer Appelbaum
Demonstration against the government at Habima Square in Tel Aviv, Saturday evening. Credit: Tomer Appelbaum
At a protest at Haifa’s Horev Center, city councilwoman Sally Abed said, “For years, they sold us partial solutions. They sold us the idea that we can ‘manage the conflict,’ that ‘this is how things are,’ and that we are condemned to live by the sword.”
“This reality is not inevitable,” Abed said. “It is the result of bad political decisions – and different decisions can change it.” She called for building Jewish-Arab partnership, saying, “They have money, mechanisms and power. We have something much stronger: We have people. We have a broad public that has not lost hope and believes that we can and must turn this country into a place of welfare, equality and peace.”
Protests were also held in Jerusalem, Be’er Sheva, Karkur Junction, Nahalal Junction, Afula, HaGomah Junction, Rosh Pina, Karmiel Junction, Kabri Junction, Nahariya and other locations.