On Sunday, March 31, a large number of Israeli residents took to the streets to express their dissatisfaction with the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
This was reported by Radio Liberty.
The protesters demanded the resignation of the government, called for elections and the immediate release of hostages held by the Hamas terrorist group, which is recognized as a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union. They also oppose a bill that would exempt ultra-Orthodox from military service.
During the protest, Yair Lapid, who is the leader of the opposition, sharply condemned Netanyahu, accusing him of destroying Israel’s relations with the United States and leaving hostages in the hands of Hamas with impunity.
The protest is scheduled to last for four days, the largest since October last year, when Israelis demonstrated in massive numbers after the Hamas attack. The organizers claim that up to 100,000 people may participate in the protest. During the rally, clashes broke out with the police, and at least one person was detained.
On the same day, in the evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s response to the protests was released, where he stated that he was doing everything possible to bring the prisoners home. Regarding the elections, Netanyahu expressed his belief that they could allegedly lead to the paralysis of hostage negotiations and the suspension of the war until the full goal is achieved. According to him, Hamas would only benefit from such a development.