From the Liveblog of
Monday, September 2, 2024
‘A prize for Hamas’: Bereaved families protest against general strike at PM’s office
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
Members of the right-wing Gvura Forum (Heroism Forum) of bereaved families protest in front of the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem, temporarily blocking the entrance in a counterprotest against a national strike called by the Histadrut Labor Federation over the government’s failure to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza.
“Shutting down the economy is a prize for Hamas,” the marchers, holding posters bearing photos of the fallen, chant as guards close the gates to the government compound.
“This is encouraging terror,” one protester announces over a megaphone, declaring “that all of us need to be together… against terror and not against the government” and that the government requires support for the use of military pressure until victory is achieved.
The Gvura Forum, which has pushed for increased military pressure on Hamas, is composed of some of the relatives of people who died in the October 7 Hamas onslaught.
המשפחות השכולות מצליחות להיכנס ולחסום את כניסת הרכבים של משרד ראש הממשלה. לאחר 20 דק בתאום עם המשטרה הם זזים מהמקום pic.twitter.com/jXyHfQSy9W
— חזקי ברוך (@HezkeiB) September 2, 2024
