Jerusalem groups protest as Knesset goes on 3-month recess, demand new elections
5 anti-government protesters arrested for blocking road, vandalism; demonstrators set up a fake beach outside Knesset to protest lawmakers’ extended vacation while country at war
Anti-government demonstrators staged small protests throughout Jerusalem on Sunday afternoon in protest of the Knesset’s three-month recess slated to begin that same day.
The protesters charged elected officials with abandoning both the captives still held by Hamas and Israel’s embattled periphery, in a particularly dire moment for the country.
The recess began just a few days after the bodies of five hostages were brought back from Gaza and Saturday’s deadly Hezbollah strike in the Golan Heights that killed 12 Druze children while they were playing soccer.
At around 5 p.m., a few dozen protesters, mainly students, pitched their umbrellas outside the Knesset on what they dubbed “Abandoners’ Beach,” — the road leading to the legislative building that police blocked off to traffic.
Amidst the inflatable pools and folding chairs scattered on the road, organizers placed 12 soccer balls honoring the victims of Hezbollah’s attack under a banner that read: “In remembrance of 12 children who were abandoned.”
“While the Knesset is going on vacation, the citizens of Israel can’t afford to rest. We demand that the elected officials take responsibility and act without delay for the security of the country’s citizens,” said Eyal Gur, the leader of the anti-government protest group, Safeguarding Our Shared Home.
“It is inconceivable that while children are being murdered in the north and hostages are still held captive, the Knesset goes into recess as if everything is fine,” he said.
Although police erected robust crowd control barriers to contain the protesters, the demonstration was toned down and featured very few chants. Midway through the event, student activist Tomer Lev gave an impromptu speech lambasting Israel’s legislators.
“You deserve [a vacation], no? After some three minutes in that building. Meanwhile, all the citizens of Israel are suffering for nine months now because of your governance. We opened just for you, close to home so you won’t have to travel far to sunbathe, ‘Abandoners’ Beach!’” said Lev drily to a cheering crowd.
Further up the street on the government campus in Jerusalem, five anti-government protesters were arrested while demonstrating with some dozen others as part of the student-led group “Changing Direction.”
The activists were detained while blocking a road outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, holding a banner that read: “The hostages don’t get a recess!”
A few from the group, wearing cutout masks of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, spray-painted nearby government buildings in yellow to symbolize the hostages issue.
הפעילים גם שפכו צבע צהוב על שלטי הכניסה כדי להזכיר לבאים שהחטופים עדיין בעזה. הצבע כמובן מתכלה ונשטף בקלות במים. pic.twitter.com/WpjcxUTXNG
— ????️????????Bar????????????️ בחירות עכשיו (@barakdor) July 28, 2024
“The hostages have been neglected in Gaza for almost 300 days. While the government sabotages deals, hostages continue to die every week. Following the deal’s postponement, the situation in the north is worsening — children are being killed,” said a spokesperson for the group.
The organization called on the government to “return the mandate to the people” and set a date for new elections.
“Do it today before you go on a reckless vacation while the country is burning. This is the only way to bring about the country’s recovery,” the spokesperson added.
