Over 1,000 small anti-Netanyahu protests held across Israel

Over 1,000 small, scattered protests calling for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s resignation are taking place across Israel in compliance with coronavirus restrictions, according to The Black Flags anti-Netanyahu protest organization.

The Knesset passed a law yesterday morning preventing travel over a kilometer from one’s place of residence to attend a demonstration. The legislation comes as part of the government’s efforts to curb coronavirus infections while Israel is under its second pandemic lockdown.

Organizations involved in the anti-Netanyahu protest movement of the past three months have vociferously opposed the new regulations, saying that they violate their freedom to protest. The Black Flags, along with several other anti-Netanyahu groups, have vowed to continue demonstrating in compliance with the restrictions.

“These are dark days for the State of Israel. No country has legislated to limit the right to protest, for a simple reason: There is no public health logic behind it. There is only the logic of a criminal — of a criminal defendant attempting to flee in fear of punishment,” the Black Flags says in a statement.

— Aaron Boxerman