Gantz asks police to allow protests outside his home

Despite defense minister’s request citing ‘paramount importance’ of right to demonstrate, police keep activists hundreds of meters away from his house

By ToI Staff 5 November 2020, 2:05 am

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Minister of Defense Benny Gantz speaks to the media and protesters outside his home, during a demonstration of Israeli workers from the culture and art industry in Rosh Haayin, on August 9, 2020.(Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)

Defense Minister Benny Gantz sent a letter to the Israel police Wednesday asking them to allow demonstrations outside his Rosh Ha’ayin home, citing the “paramount importance” of the right to protest.

According to a Defense Ministry statement, Gantz sent the letter urging police to allow the demonstrations after a conversation with Public Security Minister Amir Ohana following the recent arrest of protestors outside his home.

“Ganz wants to emphasize that the right to protest is fundamental and public figures have a duty to set an example and allow demonstrations to take place,” the statement read.

Despite his request, police kept dozens of protesters hundreds of meters away from his home on Wednesday night.

Anti-government protests have gone on for months centered around Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s official residence in Jerusalem. They have also been held at hundreds of sites around the country, including at the homes of government ministers.

Israelis protest against Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, on October 31, 2020. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

The protesters have criticized Netanyahu for what they say is his bungling of the coronavirus outbreak and its economic fallout. Many of the protesters also oppose Netanyahu serving as prime minister while under indictment for fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three corruption cases.

However, protests were temporarily limited after Israel imposed a nationwide lockdown ahead of the High Holidays in September to rein in a surging coronavirus outbreak, which limited all public gatherings, including protests and prayer, to within a kilometer (half a mile) of a person’s home.

Netanyahu has said the restrictions on the right to protest were driven by safety concerns as the country battled a runaway pandemic, but critics and protesters have accused him of tightening the lockdown to muzzle dissent.

Due to the restrictions, activists were forced to shift to small rallies at bridges and intersections limited to 20 people each to comply with the rules. Protest leaders claimed the restrictions led to even larger numbers of people coming out to demonstrate against the government.

Restrictions on protests were lifted last month with thousands returning to Netanyahu’s Jerusalem residence and more attending other events around the country.