From the Liveblog of
Sunday, June 16, 2024
Anti-government protest leaders announce week of disruption, demand elections by Oct. 7 anniversary
Organizers of anti-government protests give further details on the ongoing week of disruption, which began with the blocking of major highways this morning.
“Our goal is clear – to return the mandate to the people immediately and go to elections before the anniversary of the failures of October 7,” says Eran Schwartz, head of the Free in our Land protest group.
“The government repeatedly fails to protect Israel’s security and care for its citizens,” he says. “It prioritizes political survival over the national interest, as we have seen in dozens of examples in recent months, from the shameful [military draft for Haredim] evasion law, through the failure to promote the hostage deal or [a plan for] the day after in Gaza, to the abandonment of the citizens of the north.”
Schwartz calls for local authorities and business leaders to join the protests, citing the need for the “establishment of a broad, agreed-upon and acceptable government.”
Protest leader Moshe Radman says that only elections can bring hope.
“This is a government that abandons its people. But on the other hand, we have an amazing and determined nation and this nation deserves leadership with a vision, and not just despair and bereavement. Only elections can start the healing process,” he says. “Netanyahu, what are you afraid of? Only a dictator is afraid of his people.”
The press conference features the leaders of a number of protest groups including Brothers in Arms, Elections Now group, Free in our Land, Building an Alternative, the Pink Front, the Change Generation, the fighters from the 1973 Yom Kippur War and more.
Local rallies and events are set to be held nationwide tomorrow, then a large protest will take place at the Knesset in Jerusalem at 7 p.m. before demonstrators march to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence.
Another rally will be held at the Knesset on Tuesday evening at 7 p.m.
A rally is also to be held in the south on Wednesday evening, with the location to be announced.
On Thursday, protests will be held outside Netanyahu’s residences in Jerusalem and Caesarea.
