Several thousand people demonstrated their opposition to Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday March 20 in Jerusalem near the Prime Minister's residence.

A mobilization that is held three days before a poll (legislative elections) expected in Israel for a coalition government to be formed.

Since the end of June, demonstrators have gathered every Saturday evening, after the weekly Sabbath break, in Jerusalem and throughout Israel for rallies against the head of government, indicted for corruption in three cases and criticized for the aid judged insufficient for workers who lost their jobs with the Covid-19 pandemic.

But the 39th Saturday of protest, outside Benjamin Netanyahu's official residence on Balfour Street in Jerusalem, has special significance a few days before polling stations open on Tuesday morning for Israel's fourth parliamentary elections in two years. .

"This is the first time that we are coming to the protests and we hope they will have an impact on those who do not yet know who to vote for," said Hagit, a young mother in Jerusalem.

The sound of small vuvuzelas mingled with the vibrant bass of a hip-hop group and Israeli flags mingled with the "Get out!" Posters.

or "go vote".

"Go vote, don't be silent"

Simon, slightly bald head and salt and pepper hair, made the road from the Tel Aviv metropolis for this last big gathering before the legislative elections. 

"I come here every Saturday. (...) This (Saturday) evening, people will not go from right to left but this event is important because it says: go vote, do not remain silent", adds he alongside Orly, a friend used like him to demonstrations against the Prime Minister.

"I have been protesting against him for five years. And there, it is the elections and it is a question of life or death for us", she launches through her sanitary mask on which is written in red " crime minister ", to designate Benjamin Netanyahu.

The last three ballots had placed Benjamin Netanyahu and his rival, ex-army chief and centrist Benny Gantz, neck and neck.

After the third legislative elections, the latter had decided to ally with his political enemy to form a government "of unity and emergency" in the face of the health crisis, which only survived a few months.

Difficulty forming a coalition government

Since then, the political star of Benny Gantz has turned pale, and Benjamin Netanyahu, 71, including the last twelve in power, mainly faces the centrist Yaïr Lapid, the rebellious Gideon Saar, who left the Prime Minister's Likud to form his own party , and the tenor of the radical right, Naftali Bennett.

However, the latest polls, published Friday by the Israeli press, credit the Likud with about thirty seats, out of the 120 in the Knesset (Parliament).

The formation of Yaïr Lapid would obtain nearly twenty and those of Naftali Bennett and Gideon Saar ten each.

If Benjamin Netantayu is still leading the polls, playing the card of the success of the anti-Covid-19 vaccination campaign - nearly 50% of the nine million Israelis have received the two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine -, it could, however, lack the support to form a government.

With its allies of the religious right, the Likud of Benjamin Netanyahu would obtain about fifty seats according to the latest barometers, a score below the threshold required (61 deputies) to form a government.

Facing him, Yair Lapid and the anti-Netanyahu parties do not reach the threshold of majority either.

Invitation to a televised debate

In this electoral campaign carried out partly under confinement, before an easing of health measures in recent weeks, the parties did not hold large meetings.

And if the candidates multiplied the interviews on the radio and the statements on social networks, no televised debate took place.

To try to end the duel, Yaïr Lapid launched on Saturday evening an invitation to debate the Prime Minister: "The Israeli public deserves a debate, deserves answers (...), the studios are ready, the moderators are ready and our two podiums await ".

After hours of shouting, demonstrators cleaned up the Place de France, the heart of the dispute, picking up the leaflets littering the asphalt before slipping, in a few days, their ballot in the ballot box.

With AFP

The summary of the week

France 24 invites you to come back to the news that marked the week

I subscribe

Take international news everywhere with you!

Download the France 24 application

google-play-badge_FR