Tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets again on Sunday, March 31, to protest government policies led by right-wing conservative Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to local media, a demonstration of thousands took place, in particular, near the parliament building – the Knesset – in Jerusalem.
The demonstrators demanded the resignation of the government and early elections, as well as a speedy deal for the release of hostages held by Hamas militants. The protest in Jerusalem, as noted, became the largest since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip. Organizers claim that more than 100 thousand people gathered at the Knesset, while the media write about “tens of thousands” of participants.
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid, speaking at the demonstration, sharply criticized Netanyahu. He accused the prime minister of ruining Israel’s relations with the United States and abandoning Hamas hostages to their fate. Netanyahu does “everything for politics and nothing for the country,” Lapid said.
Netanyahu: Early elections will play into the hands of Hamas
The Israeli prime minister resolutely rejected criticism of him. “Calls for elections now, in the midst of war, moments before victory, will paralyze Israel for at least six months, and in my estimation, even for eight months,” Netanyahu said.
He said early elections would also paralyze negotiations for the release of hostages in exchange for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Palestinian prisoners. This “will lead to the end of the war before achieving the set goals” and, thus, will play into the hands of Hamas, in particular, the prime minister emphasized. At the same time, Netanyahu promised to return all hostages home.
Hamas attack on Israel
The escalation of the conflict in the Middle East began after on October 7, 2023, the radical Islamist movement Hamas, recognized as a terrorist organization by the European Union and the United States, carried out a large-scale attack on Israel. Terrorists launched a massive missile attack on Israel and, having invaded its territory, carried out the most massive massacre of civilians in the history of the modern Israeli state. More than 1,200 people became its victims. The militants also took about 250 hostages and took them to the Gaza Strip.
Israel responded by declaring war on Hamas. The country’s army is carrying out massive strikes on this densely populated Palestinian region, which is under Hamas rule, and is also conducting a ground military operation. The Hamas-controlled Health Ministry says more than 32,000 people have died in the Gaza Strip. It is not possible to confirm these data from independent sources.
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2024-04-01 09:07:36