Protesters in Tel Aviv call for change to Netanyahu government

Protesting against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration and demanding fresh elections, thousands of Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv on Saturday. They accused the seasoned leader of mismanaging the country’s security. Protests against the government that rocked the country for most of 2023 came to an end on October 7, following Hamas assaults in southern Israel. Israelis united behind the troops and the families of those slain or captured, putting aside political differences. Though there is no sign that Netanyahu’s position is in danger, calls for leadership changes are becoming louder in light of the disastrous war in Gaza, which is now in its fourth month, and opinion surveys that suggest Netanyahu’s support is declining. The attendance on Saturday night at a key Tel Aviv square, the scene of many of the protests of the previous year, was indicative of this. Even though there were fewer individuals in the audience than the previous year, there were still several thousand of them, and many of them were waving Israeli flags, voicing their displeasure, and beating on drums. “The government that abandoned us on Oct. 7 continues to abandon us every day since - those evacuated from the northern and southern (borders), the families of the victims, the reservists, the hostages,” said Noam Alon, whose brother, a soldier, was killed trying to clear an Israeli town from Hamas gunmen. “The power is in our hands to change and repair,” she said from the stage. “This government needs to go home. Now!” And the crowd answered her, shouting: “Now! Now!” While divisions have emerged among members of his wartime cabinet, Netanyahu is intent on staying in power. Opposition leaders have offered to form a unity government not led by Netanyahu, but no moves have gained traction.