Israel: Tens of thousands are again calling for the Netanyahu government to resign

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Protests against Prime Minister Netanyahu's government

Photo: Ilan Rosenberg / REUTERS

For the second day in a row: Tens of thousands of people demonstrated in Israel on Sunday against the government of right-wing conservative Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During angry protests near parliament in Jerusalem, demonstrators called for the government to resign, a new election and a quick deal to release the hostages held by the Islamist Palestinian organization Hamas.

Opposition leader Jair Lapid sharply criticized Netanyahu at the demonstration. The head of government was destroying Israel's relations with the USA and leaving the Hamas hostages to their fate, he said, among other things. "Everything for politics, nothing for the country."

Netanyahu: New election would “paralyze” release negotiations

Netanyahu firmly rejected criticism of his conduct of the negotiations and calls for a new election. "The calls for an election now, at the height of the war, a moment before victory, will paralyze Israel for at least six months, in my estimation even eight months," he said on Sunday.

A new election would also paralyze negotiations over the release of more hostages in return for a ceasefire in the Gaza war and the release of Palestinian prisoners, Netanyahu said. This would “bring about an end to the war before the goals are achieved” and thus, above all, play into the hands of Hamas. He emphasized that he was obliged to bring all hostages home. "I won't leave anyone behind."

Israel's head of government gave the green light on Friday for further talks with Hamas about a hostage deal and a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. After consultation with the heads of the Israeli secret services, Netanyahu agreed to a new round of negotiations "in the next few days in Doha and Cairo," his office said.

For weeks, the USA, Qatar and Egypt have been mediating between Israel and the Islamist Hamas in order to achieve a ceasefire and an exchange of hostages kidnapped from Israel for Palestinian prisoners. Israel and Hamas do not negotiate directly.

The Gaza war was triggered on October 7 by a terrorist attack on Israel by the Palestinian Hamas and other extremist groups. In the brutal attack, terrorists abducted more than 250 people from Israel to the Gaza Strip. Just over 100 hostages were released as part of a deal in November. According to Israeli estimates, almost 100 people abducted by Hamas are still alive.

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