Top anti-government activist detained outside Netanyahu’s home ahead of demonstrations

Police detain prominent anti-government activist retired IAF Brig. Gen. Amir Haskel in Jerusalem this morning while he was shouting through a megaphone across the street from Netanyahu’s private residence.

Haskel accused the premier of “murdering the ceasefire and chance to save the hostages” when a policewoman confiscated his megaphone. He was then detained and taken to the Moriah police station.

טרם תחילת המחאות היום המשטרה החליטה לעצור את אמיר השכל.

מישהו מפחד. וזה לא אנחנו. pic.twitter.com/8UGTx6vHRk

— משנים כיוון ↩️ (@change_dir_il) March 19, 2025

His arrest comes ahead of demonstrations scheduled to take place in the capital today. Protesters plan to march from Givat Ram to Netanyahu’s home later this afternoon.

The march comes after some 40,000 people took part in a Tel Aviv rally last night to demonstrate against the governments plans to fire Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar and the resumption of strikes in Gaza.

The demonstrations came as Israel resumed fighting in the Gaza Strip, paving the way for the return to the cabinet of far-right politician Itamar Ben Gvir, who has been among the loudest voices demanding the ousters of Bar along with Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who is also in the coalition’s crosshairs.

The moves sparked accusations, denied by Netanyahu, that the government had ended the ceasefire and scuttled hostage negotiations in order to bolster the premier’s political support with far-right allies ahead of a key budget vote later this month.