Thousands of people across Israel have protested on the streets to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing an ongoing trial for corruption and criticism for his handling of the war in Gaza.
The protesters, who included military reservists, civil society activists, and opposition supporters, accused Netanyahu of endangering democracy and failing to protect the country from Hamas attacks. They also called for early elections to end the political deadlock that has plagued Israel for months.
The demonstrations, which took place in several cities, including Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Haifa, were met with a heavy police presence and some clashes. The police arrested several protesters who allegedly violated public order and Covid-19 regulations.
Netanyahu, who has been in power since 2009, has dismissed the protests as a “coup attempt” by an “extremist minority” and vowed to continue his judicial reform plan, which he says will prevent the courts from overstepping their authority. However, his coalition partners, the far-right Jewish Power party, have agreed to postpone the bill for several weeks in exchange for the formation of a civil “national guard” under their control.
The crisis has also strained Israel’s relations with its allies, especially the United States, which has urged Netanyahu to halt the bombardment of Gaza and respect international law. The International Court of Justice has issued a provisional ruling that ordered Israel to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza, where more than 26,000 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 65,000 injured since October 7, according to Palestinian health authorities.