A large-scale protest against Netanyahu broke out in Tel Aviv
On Saturday, October 21, thousands of people took to the streets in Tel Aviv for an anti-government rally. The protest took place three days before Israel’s general election, which will largely determine the political future of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The rally was organized by the "October Movement" council, founded by the families of those killed and taken hostage by Hamas militants during the attack on October 7, 2023, according to AFP.
Why did thousands of people take to the streets to protest against Netanyahu?
Investigation into the Hamas attack
Protesters are demanding an independent investigation into why Israeli security services failed to prevent the attack.
Leaders of the four largest opposition parties attended the demonstration. Among them was Gadi Eizenkot, the former chief of staff of the Israeli Defense Forces, who is competing with Netanyahu for voter support.
For several years now, the Israeli opposition and civil society organizations have been calling for the creation of an independent state commission to investigate the failures that allowed Hamas to carry out the attack on October 7, 2023.
Netanyahu’s government refuses to establish such a commission. Instead, it proposes forming a body in which half of the members would be appointed by the ruling coalition and the other half by the opposition.
Opposition leaders disagree with this approach and have stated that they will boycott a commission whose composition is determined by politicians.
On the day of the protest, police also reported the arrest of a suspect in an attack on a public figure’s security detail. Israeli media clarified that the public figure in question was former Prime Minister and opposition leader Naftali Bennett.
The Threat of Isolation and Economic Problems
On the eve of the election, Netanyahu stated that due to Israel’s international isolation, the country may have to create an alternative digital economy.
He also warned that multibillion-dollar military aid from the U.S. would not continue indefinitely.
Background: Israel’s isolation has intensified amid the wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran, as well as rising violence in the occupied West Bank. The United Kingdom and several other countries have imposed restrictions on goods from Israeli settlements at West Bank. This came in response to attacks by settlers on Palestinians and the expansion of settlements with the support of the Netanyahu government.
Opposition politicians criticized the prime minister’s statements. Gadi Eizenkot ironically dubbed the proposed digital currency “bbCoin,” a play on Netanyahu’s nickname, “Bibi.”
Former Prime Minister Yair Lapid also stated that Netanyahu’s policies could lead to sanctions, the loss of a security agreement with the U.S., and serious problems for the Israeli economy.