Israelis attending a protest march against the decision of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to fire Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, and clash with police, in Jerusalem, March 19, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
Demonstrators clash with police as they try to break through barricades and reach the private residence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Thousands of people are in Jerusalem, protesting against the government’s plans to fire Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar and calling for a hostage deal despite a return to fighting in Gaza.
Photos from the scene show police detaining several people as crowds try and burst through the barricades.
In other areas, hundreds sit on the sidewalk, chanting for a deal to free the remaining hostages in Gaza.
“It happened to Ron Arad, it could happen to all of us,” they chant, referring to the Israeli Air Force officer long presumed dead following his 1986 disappearance in Lebanon.
Further up the road near Netanyahu’s official residence is group of silent protesters, seated on the asphalt and blocking Paris Square to traffic from all directions. The demonstrators plan to remain at the intersection until 5 p.m.
Israelis attend a protest march against the decision of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to fire Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, in Jerusalem, March 19, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
Help us report truthfully on social media
As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.
This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world.
If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you, David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
