Mass anti-government protests took place in Israel last night, calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition.
The main demonstrations took place in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, where thousands of citizens expressed their discontent. Hundreds of people gathered in "Rabin" Square and marched to "Habima" Square in Tel Aviv, organized by the Movement for Quality Government. Protesters carried placards expressing their displeasure over controversial policy moves that have led to clashes with international allies.
The demonstrators accuse the government of trying to evade responsibility for the events of October 7 and are demanding a deal to free the remaining hostages. While the demonstrations in Tel Aviv were relatively peaceful, in Jerusalem police used water cannons to disperse protesters near the prime minister's residence.
The anti-government rallies were accompanied by violent demonstrations by ultra-Orthodox Jews. Thousands blocked intersections and protested aggressively outside the homes of top judges, drawing sharp criticism from President Yitzhak Herzog over the political violence in the country.