Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv for the largest pre-election protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government. The demonstration took place three days before Israel's parliamentary elections scheduled for October 27.
The rally was organized by the October 7 Council - an organization created by families of victims, former hostages and survivors of the “Hamas“ attack. Participants demanded an independent state commission to investigate the failures that allowed the October 7, 2023 attack.
According to organizers, more than 100,000 people participated in the demonstration. Police have not released their own estimate, but other media outlets have described the crowd as tens of thousands. The march started from Rabin Square and reached Hostage Square near the Art Museum - a site that has become a center of protests for the release of prisoners during the Gaza war.
Opposition promises investigation
The leaders of the main opposition parties, including Gadi Eisenkot, Avigdor Lieberman, Yair Lapid, Yair Golan and Naftali Bennett, were among the participants. Eisenkot, who is Netanyahu's main rival, was greeted with applause and chants.
Opposition leaders said they would set up a state commission of inquiry if they were given a mandate to govern. "Starting this Wednesday, we will work to establish a state investigation commission that will uncover the truth and bring justice to the families," Yair Golan said.
Netanyahu has refused to establish such a body. The prime minister says an independent commission, whose members are chosen by the judiciary, would be biased towards the government. The ruling party has instead proposed a political commission, whose members would be appointed by the ruling coalition and the opposition - an option rejected by the opposition forces.
“Not everyone has taken responsibility”
The rally was attended by relatives of the dead and former hostages. Mali Zender, whose daughter was killed in the attack, said: “Not everyone has taken responsibility and we have no answers. A country cannot move forward without seeking the truth.“
The protesters urged voters to vote and said the vote was an opportunity to change the government. Israelis will elect 120 members of the Knesset, and the latest polls before the election silence did not show a clear majority for either of the two main blocs. According to a survey published by public television “Kan“, Eisenkot's bloc would receive 52 seats, Netanyahu's would receive 50, with the remaining seats going to independent and Arab parties.
Sources: apnews.com, abc.net.au, timesofisrael.com