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Israelis rally against law that limits protests against Netanyahu

October 1, 2020 at 4:12 pm

People protest against the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on 24 September 2020 [Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu Agency]

Anti-government protestors have rallied against the new law limiting demonstrations which was passed by the Israeli government yesterday morning. Critics say that the law is an attempt to silence protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Four protestors were arrested for allegedly assaulting Israel soldiers who blocked their way, reported the Times of Israel. They were released this morning.

The rally in Tel Aviv’s Habima Square saw people on major roads of the city for hours shouting that they will not agree to a “political lockdown” and that it is their country “not Netanyahu’s”. According to the new regulations, protests are only allowed within a one-kilometre radius from one’s place of residence.

“A spontaneous, unorganised demonstration took place this evening in protest of the Israeli government’s failure to address the coronavirus crisis and its attempt to turn Israel into a dictatorship,” protestor Stav Shomer told the Jerusalem Post. “Even though the bill restricting protests was not passed, Tel Aviv Police declared the march as ‘unlawful’, showing unrestrained violence toward the protestors from the very beginning, attempting to suppress our democratic right to protest.”

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Hundreds of Israelis also gathered in West Jerusalem before the vote in a protest against the attempt to restrict anti-Netanyahu demonstrations across the country. Protestors called the limit a “blow to democracy”.

Anti-Netanyahu protests in the country erupted three months ago, with demonstrators demanding that the prime minister should resign over bribery accusations, breach of trust and three other corruption charges. Netanyahu, 70, is the first Israeli Prime Minister to face trial while in office. He denies all charges.

Netanyahu's corruption scandal - Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]

Netanyahu’s corruption scandal – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]