Police clash with protesters, make arrests after anti-government rally outside Knesset
Thousands converge on capital for massive demonstration, followed by chaotic march stymied by skunk liquid sprayed from water cannons
Thousands of demonstrators from across Israel converged on Jerusalem Monday evening to protest the Netanyahu government, as the Knesset opened its summer session after a six-week recess.
The “day of disruption” demonstrations began with a rally outside the Knesset spotlighting hostage family members and central anti-government activists, followed by a chaotic march through the capital which saw at least two protesters arrested.
Police managed to disperse the protests fairly quickly, utilizing a water cannon to spray foul-smelling Skunk liquid onto activists blocking roads after a procession to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s official residence split into multiple directions in an attempt to evade police barricades.
The rally was a joint effort between anti-government organizers active in the pre-October 7 anti-judicial overhaul protests and some hostage family members who, in recent months, have become more vocal against Netanyahu and his government over its inability to reach a deal freeing the captives.
Many of the protesters on Monday evening came from outside Jerusalem. They took part in a slow-moving convoy to the capital that took off from several locations throughout Israel early Monday afternoon. The drivers arrived in Jerusalem at a slow trickle and made their way to the Knesset for the 5 p.m. rally.
Police kept the ensuing protest under tight security, erecting two layers of barricades separating the rally from the Knesset as demonstrators chanted against Netanyahu and his government.
“Bibi is a danger to the existence of the country!” they shouted over drums and blowhorns.
“Today I can say without hesitation that the Israeli government is knowingly abandoning [the hostages],” Ayala Metzger, the daughter-in-law of Hamas captive Yoram Metzger, told the rally. “The prime minister of Israel gave up on the hostages… It hurts to say, but he gave up on them. The number 128 is just another number to him, not 128 entire worlds, not 128 wounded souls that must return to their 128 families.”
She called on more moderate members of the war cabinet to act, without specifying further.
“This isn’t the time for tears, words, or hugs… This is the time for action and you will be judged on your actions,” Metzger continued. “The hostages have no time — act now or their blood will also be on your hands.”
Following the rally, hundreds of protesters began to march through the capital, with some heading toward Netanyahu’s residence on Balfour Street and others racing to the Chords Bridge at Jerusalem’s main western entrance, where they blocked traffic leading into Jerusalem from the west.
Border patrol and mounted police officers attempted to barricade roads that led to Netanyahu’s home, and eventually doused activists with Skunk liquid, driving them back toward the governmental campus, where most dispersed.
At the Chords Bridge, police detained a driver who almost rammed into protesters blocking the road.
According to eyewitnesses who spoke to Haaretz, the driver was coming fast from the direction of Jerusalem, and hit the brakes just before crashing into the protesters. Two other demonstrators said that they had to move out of the way to avoid being hit by the vehicle. No one was injured in the incident.
בזמן החסימה של בני משפחות חטופים בגשר המיתרים, נכנס לפתע רכב לתוך המפגינים, שכמעט נדרסו. בקטע הזה מהשידור החי שלי שומעים בשנייה 14 את הצעקה של נטלי צנגאוקר שהרכב עבר מרחק שערה ממנה. בהמשך רואים את הרכב שוב מנסה להתקדם pic.twitter.com/dca2l5DZzW
— Or-ly Barlev ???? אור-לי ברלב (@orlybarlev) May 20, 2024
Police said they managed to open all roads by just after 10 p.m. and said two suspects who had led “disturbances” were detained, along with an activist who had been handing out torches without a permit on Azza Street, where Netanyahu maintains a private residence.
Some activists accused police of using heavy-handed means to clear the protests, including against the relatives of hostages.
“What fun, thanks so much for the violence,” Metzger said sardonically into a megaphone at the Chords Bridge, aiming her vitriol at border police officers she alleged had shoved her to the ground. “Jerusalem is the holy city; it’s time that you learn a bit of [common decency] and patience.”
During the rally outside the Knesset, several politicians came out from the parliament building to visit the demonstration, including Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, who showed his face for a moment and then quickly left the scene.
Yesh Atid legislators Ram Ben-Barak and Mickey Levy as well as Labor legislators Gilad Kariv and Naama Lazimi also attended the protest, staying for longer.
Opposition legislators weren’t the only ones to approach; Religious Zionism MK Zvi Sukkot was met with jeers and boos from protesters when he showed. Police quickly escorted Sukkot away from the demonstration after he approached the other side of the barricade.
Sukkot, who supports intensifying military operations in Gaza, gave an interview to the Israeli radio station 103FM last week in which he confessed that he wasn’t sure if it is possible to bring back all the remaining hostages.
Nadav Salzberger, an anti-government activist with the Elections Now protest movement who spoke after Sukkot’s unwanted visit, began his speech by denouncing the far-right politician.
“There is no place here for supporters of Jewish terrorism,” he said to cheers from the crowd.
It is believed that 124 hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza — not all of them alive — after 105 civilians were released from Hamas captivity during a week-long truce in late November, and four hostages were released prior to that. Three hostages have been rescued by troops alive, and the bodies of 16 hostages have also been recovered, including three mistakenly killed by the military.
The IDF has confirmed the deaths of 37 of those still held by Hamas, citing new intelligence and findings obtained by troops operating in Gaza.
One more person is listed as missing since October 7, and their fate is still unknown.
Hamas is also holding the bodies of fallen IDF soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin since 2014, as well as two Israeli civilians, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, who are both thought to be alive after entering the Strip of their own accord in 2014 and 2015 respectively.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
