In Jerusalem, father of murdered festival-goer accuses Netanyahu of abandoning Oct. 7 victims

Protesters rally in support of a hostage deal and against the government in Jerusalem's Paris Square on June 15, 2024. (Charlie Summers/Times of Israel)
Protesters rally in support of a hostage deal and against the government in Jerusalem's Paris Square on June 15, 2024. (Charlie Summers/Times of Israel)

Some thousand demonstrators are rallying in support of a hostage deal and against the government in Jerusalem’s Paris Square, outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s official residence.

Protesters are chanting, “No to a Kahanist government” while awaiting speeches to begin onstage, under a banner that reads: “All of them home! You [the government] failed!”

Tom Barkai, an organizer with the Jerusalem Hostages and Missing Families Forum, accuses Netanyahu of torpedoing a prospective hostage deal.

“A true leader puts his political interests to the side to bring an immediate deal,” she says.

The rally is a joint effort of the Jerusalem branch of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum and Safeguarding our Shared Home, the city’s foremost anti-government protest group.

Attorney Roni Moalem, whose daughter Naama was murdered by Hamas at the Supernova rave massacre, rips into Netanyahu in his speech, saying that he is “not worthy to be a leader, and certainly not prime minister.”

He accuses the premier of abandoning his daughter and the others murdered on October 7, saying he continues to serve as prime minister “only for himself, his wife and 35 corrupt ministers” in the current government.

Most Popular
If you’d like to comment, join
The Times of Israel Community.
Join The Times of Israel Community
Commenting is available for paying members of The Times of Israel Community only. Please join our Community to comment and enjoy other Community benefits.
Please use the following structure: example@domain.com
Confirm Mail
Thank you! Now check your email
You are now a member of The Times of Israel Community! We sent you an email with a login link to . Once you're set up, you can start enjoying Community benefits and commenting.