Thousands of protesters gathered outside the Knesset in Jerusalem on Sunday, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In what is anticipated to be a four-day series of demonstrations, protesters called for the immediate resignation of the government, early elections, and a deal to release the 130 hostages still held in Gaza. Event organizers reported that over 100,000 individuals participated, although media outlets estimated attendance in the tens of thousands.
A significant number of those attending voiced their astonishment over Netanyahu’s continued leadership and the absence of elections, even half a year after the unprecedented Hamas attack, one of the most severe in the country’s history.
“The government doesn’t have the public’s faith,” one participant was quoted saying by the Times of Israel. Another demonstrator expressed disbelief, saying, “It is beyond belief that this country, which was so successful, is being led down this path by one man and his henchmen.”
Some protesters attempted to disrupt traffic by setting fires on the Begin highway and blocking Jerusalem’s entrance near the Chords Bridge. The demonstrations escalated into clashes with the police, who used skunk water to disperse the crowds, and at least one protester was arrested, according to police reports.
