Police has forcibly removed on Wednesday demonstrators at the encampment set up by families of hostages outside the Knesset in Jerusalem. Several dozen people participated in the protest to demand that the government resign and two bereaved relatives Ayelet Katzir and Maoz Ynon were detained.
Maoz Ynon arrested by a police officer and holding a sign outside the Knesset during a protest against the far-right government, Nov. 29, 2023 (Photo: Zo Haderech)
Yinon, both whose parents were murdered by Hamas on October 7 participated in the Hadash’s demonstration in Tel-Aviv against the war in Gaza on November 18 and said: “I now have four goals. 1. To bring back the hostages held by the terrorist Hamas. 2. End the war. 3. Bring down Netanyahu. 4. Revive hope for all of us, Israelis and Palestinians, that we will have a better future of peace and equality.”
According to police, Ayelet Katzir, a leading figure in the Families’ Tent group of activists who lost family members in the Hamas massacres, was arrested for blocking the entrance to the Knesset and preventing Knesset members from driving into the building. Hadash MK Ofer Cassif drove to the demonstration to protest arrests, describing them “embarrassing and outrageous.” Police also confiscated a sign from Yael Alon, a protester whose father was killed during the Yom Kippur War in 1973 and whose son was killed on October 7. Her sign called to prosecute PM Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right government for the “debacle” of October 7.
Netanyahu meet Wednesday with the leaders of communities close to the Gaza Strip that were devastated in October 7, but several of the invited kibbutzim refuse to send representatives, among them Kfar Azza, Be’eri, Nir Oz, Nahal Oz, Re’im, Or Haner, Ein Hashlosha and Kerem Shalom. The communities criticize the premier for only meeting them now, nearly two months after the devastating assault, and for deciding to hold talks only with the kibbutz leadership rather than the whole communities.
“Should the prime minister wish to come to Be’eri, meet with the management and the members of the kibbutz, see the atrocities committed on October 7 and have a conversation about the plans for the rehabilitation of Be’eri, we will always be happy to host him by prior arrangement and without a communications team,” the kibbutz says in a statement.
“We suggest that the prime minister meet with the residents of the kibbutz, with everyone. With the children, parents, families who survived the terrible massacre.” said Osnat Peri, the secretary of Kibbutz Nir Oz. “Not only the representatives of the communities need answers, but all of us. Not only me, but all of us deserve to know why a quarter of our kibbutz was kidnapped or murdered.”
Also, the family of freed hostage Elma Avraham has refused a request from Netanyahu to meet with him during his visit to Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba. Avraham, a 84-year-old resident of Kibbutz Nahal Oz, was returned in critical condition after Hamas failed to supply her with vital daily medications for some 50 days. Soroka has said there is no longer a danger to her life as she continues to recuperate at the hospital.
Related: https://maki.org.il/en/?p=31371
