Some 3,000 people cram into Tel Aviv’s Habima Square for a protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans to oust Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar amid a probe into the premier’s top aides alleged ties to Qatar, which is a leading sponsor of Hamas.
Referring to Netanyahu, protesters broadcast the words, “Mr. Abandonment” on the adjacent national theater building.
The protest is organized by the group “Protective Wall for Israel,” which bills itself as bringing together 169 former top officials from the military, police, Mossad and Shin Bet. Tonight’s protest is set to feature speeches from Roni Alsheich, Tamir Pardo and Yoram Cohen — former chiefs of police, Mossad and Shin Bet, respectively — as well as Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan Zangauker and a fierce critic of Netanyahu.
Moshe Ya’alon, a former IDF chief who served as defense minister under Netanyahu and later became a critic of the premier, mills around the crowd wearing a “Protective Wall for Israel” shirt.
Upbeat Israeli rock songs play ahead of the speeches. Protesters chant: “The time has come to topple the dictator.”
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From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
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