Thousands of Israelis continued to protest outside the prime minister’s official residence on Saturday as months of protests against Benjamin Netanyahu gained momentum.
The protesters want the embarrassed Netanyahu to give up his post while he is on trial for accusers of corruption. The government’s misfortunes in dealing with the coronavirus crisis after relative success in its early stages have also driven the demonstrations.
Saturday’s protest comes ahead of Tuesday’s deadline in which the coalition government must agree on a budget plan or call new elections that would be the fourth in a little over a year.
Ignored by police suggestions for alternative routes, Protestants marched from various parts of Jerusalem through major roads and attempted to reach Netanyahu’s residence on Balfour Street.
Outside the residence, they hoisted giant balloons with pictured smeared heads of Netanyahu and his rival-turned-coalition partner Benny Gantz of the centrist Blue and White party, waving Israeli flags and the black flag of one of the grassroots protest movements.
A sign reads “Balfour is in our hands,” referring to the residential address. Other signs called on Netanyahu to resign and a poster described him as “Minister of Crime.”
Israeli police say they arrested seven protesters “on suspicion of violating public order and attacking police officers”.
Last week, Netanyahu announced a deal by the United States to normalize ties with the United Arab Emirates, making it the third Arab country to establish full relations with Israel. The historic breakthrough did not help calm the demonstrations against him.
Netanyahu has rejected calls to resign while on probation, claiming the protests are the work of leftists and the media.
Israel appeared to contain the pandemic in its first phase, but the rapid recovery of the economy in some cases left a spike.
More than 100,000 Israelis have tested positive for the virus. The country also recorded 809 COVID-19 deaths among its nine million population.
The pandemic has caused unemployment numbers to rise above 20 percent.
Netanyahu was accused last year of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three long-term corruption investigations.
In January, the trial will move to a witness phase with three sessions a week.
SOURCE:
Reuters news agency
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