Tel Aviv, DZWatch – Thousands of protesters flooded the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government. The demonstrations reflect growing public anger over what protesters describe as escalating incitement, rampant racism, and a failure of political leadership since October 7, 2023.
Demonstrators carried banners and chanted slogans condemning the government’s policies and targeting specific ministers within the ruling coalition. Prominent among the demands was the removal of far-right figures such as National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, alongside calls to halt what they see as the undermining of the judicial system and the media.
One protester highlighted alleged incidents of violence against Arab citizens, stating that a pregnant woman was recently attacked in Jaffa, and that Arab drivers face harassment daily. She argued that these were not isolated incidents, but a direct consequence of extremist ideologies gaining influence within the government.
“The political leadership does not condemn the attacks on Arabs, nor the daily murders of Arab citizens, because they are simply not bothered by what is happening,” she stated, labeling the government as a “government of ruin” that has fueled hate speech and allowed hatred to spread in the streets.
The protests, which also extended to Haifa and Rehovot, reportedly drew tens of thousands of participants. Activists accuse the current government of granting “full legitimacy to hatred and racism,” holding it responsible for repeated attacks on Arab citizens within Israel.
One activist referenced the recent shooting death of a 20-year-old Arab woman near a store in Kiryat Gat, highlighting a sense of abandonment and lack of protection for Arab citizens within the country. The demonstrations underscore deepening divisions and escalating tensions within Israeli society.
