Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets across Israel on Tuesday evening and Wednesday, November 6, following far-right Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s abrupt firing of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, in scenes that were reminiscent of the demonstrations that followed the premier’s first attempt to fire Gallant in March 2023.
Anti-government activists block for several hours the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv as they protest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to fire Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, early on November 6, 2024 (Photo: Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)
Netanyahu dismissed Gallant Tuesday evening, citing mutual distrust and said the former minister “helped the enemy.” But, the move was motivated by political considerations, including efforts to codify ultra-Orthodox men’s exemption from mandatory military service. Israel Katz, a fellow Likud party member currently serving as foreign minister, will replace Gallant. The leader of the far-right New Hope party, Gideon Saar, who rejoined Netanyahu’s coalition in September, will serve as foreign minister.
In Tel-Aviv, tens of thousands of people blocked for several hours Ayalon Highway, central Israel’s main traffic artery. Protesters stopped traffic in both directions, lit numerous bonfires and erected makeshift roadblocks with what appears to be uprooted road signs and abandoned construction materials.
Referring to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, protesters around one of the bonfires chanted: “He’s a traitor!”, “Netanyahu and [Minister of National Security Itamar] Ben Gvir, go home” and “How much more blood will be spilled until the accused [of corruption] leaves?” According to Zo Haderech correspondents, around 1:00 a.m., police officers began to forcibly remove the demonstrators from Ayalon, using high-powered streams of foul-smelling water during the process. At least 40 people were detained.
Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, several thousands of protesters gathered on the city’s Azza Street and congregated near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence, calling the prime minister a “dictator” and the government “fascist regime”. The demonstrators clashed with police at Azza Street and at the Chords Bridge in the entrance of Jerusalem, and broke through barricades before officers declared the demonstration an “illegal protest” and began to disperse the participants by brutally force. Three demonstrators were detained for “attacking police officers”. The traffic on Route 1 from Tel-Aviv into Jerusalem was blocked with stones by protesters. In Haifa, thousands of people marched down Moriah Boulevard in Central Carmel on their way to the Horev Center mall. Two people were arrested in Haifa, including one demonstrator suspected of lighting a bonfire on the road. Thousands also demonstrated in Caesarea, Raanana Junction, Hedera Junction, Sderot Junction and other locations throughout Israel.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum called on the incoming defense minister to “express an explicit commitment to the end of the war and to carry out a comprehensive deal for the immediate return of all the abductees.” According to Zo Haderech, both Netanyahu and Gallant are “war criminals”. The ICC (International Criminal Court) in Hague is seeking arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant on the grounds of war crimes and crimes against humanity in connection with Israel’s war against the Palestinian people in Gaza.
On last Saturday evening over 2,000 anti-war protesters gathered in Habima Square in central Tel Aviv for an emergency demonstration calling for an immediate end to the fighting in Gaza and Lebanon, and against ethnic cleansing in northern Gaza Strip. The organizers put out a call to protest because “if we don’t end the war, the war will be the end of us.” Hundreds of Hadash and Communist Party of Israel activists participated in the protest, among them CPI Secretary General Adel Amer and Hadash Deputy Chairwoman Noa Levy.
The protest was organized by the Peace Partnership, a coalition of peace and human rights organizations that came together after the war began. At the end of the event, the protesters march to Begin Street to join the weekly anti-government, pro-hostage deal rally.
Related: https://maki.org.il/en/?p=32210
