Thousands of people protested against the far-right Netanyahu government across Israel on Saturday night, March 23, calling for early elections and urging for the release of the hostages. The protests were held in 40 locations including Tel-Aviv, Haifa, Be’er Sheva, Jerusalem, Mahd Al-Krum, Caesarea, Kfar Sava, Herzliya, Ra’anana, Rehovot, Nes Tziona and Rosh Pina. In Tel Aviv, protesters blocked the Begin Road and the Ayalon Highway, lighting fires along them.
Demonstration against the war in Gaza held Saturday afternoon, March 23, by the Arab Higher Committee at Majd Al-Krum (Photo: Zo Haderech)
12 protesters were arrested in Tel Aviv during the weekly demonstrations against the government and in favor of a hostage deal. After the main protests were dispersed, a group of demonstrators made their way to far-right MK Gideon Sa’ar’s (New Hope) apartment block where they called on the lawmaker to ensure that racist ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich do not gain entry into the war cabinet. The protesters also rally outside the home of Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf, from Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party, calling for the release of the hostages and lighting a bonfire before being dispersed by the police.
Early, demonstrators calling for Israel to agree to a deal for the release of hostages in Gaza blocked off the northern section of Begin Street in Tel Aviv. “Their time is running out, bring them home now!” protesters chant, as others shout “he who abandoned them must return them!” about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Demonstrators also chanted against Netanyahu and his wife Sara, yelling “Bibi, Sarah, thanks for all the shit,” a reference to a complaint that the freed hostages were ungrateful allegedly made by premier’s spouse in a recent meeting. Protesters block the street and pull on the fire hoses to prevent the firefighters from reaching the bonfires while police attempt to disperse them using force. Hundreds of protesters gathered outside Prime Minister official residence in Jerusalem to call for an immediate hostage deal and mark 169 days of captivity for the 134 hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza.
A demonstration denouncing the Israeli genocide in Gaza and against the war was held Saturday afternoon by the Arab Higher Committee at Majd Al-Krum town, in Northern Israel. Thousands of people participate in the rally, among them Mohammad Barakeh, chair of umbrella organization for the Arab-Palestinian community in Israel – the High Follow-up Committee, all Hadash-Ta’al lawmakers: Ayman Odeh, Aida Touma-Sliman, Ofer Cassif, Youssef Atawneh and Ahmad Tibi; the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Israel, Adel Amer and Peace Partnership Arab and Jewish activists.
Related: https://maki.org.il/en/?p=31676
