For months, Israelis have been protesting against the policies of Benjamin Netanyahu. With Hamas’ surprise attack, its future seems more and more compromised. Many Israelis hold him responsible.
On Kaplan Street, one of Tel Aviv’s major thoroughfares, chants in support of the hostages replaced the slogans, those that had been chanted here every Saturday for nine months, calling for the resignation of Benjamin Netanyahu. But there, even if we don’t hear them, we can read them on signs and banners.
Amir holds an Israeli flag; he was at all the demonstrations just before the attacks. “We knew something bad was going to happenhe observes. The flower above the flag is to show that we are not nationalists, that we have good intentions. These symbols seem appropriate to us to show what we feel.
“What happened is the consequence of the elections a year ago and it reassures us that our opposition is fair.”
Amir, an anti-Bibi protesterat franceinfo
“Even if some say that now is not the time to talk about this because we are at war”concedes Amir.
Netanyahu failed to protect his people
That’s how Rachel feels. “We can’t talk about politicsshe believes, because now is not the time.” For her, as for many Israelis in shock, it is still a time of mourning, of astonishment. “What we want now is to free children, babies, old people… We never believed that such a thing could happen to Israel because the army is very strong. We can’t believe we could be surprised like that”. Asked if there will need to be change politically when this is over, Rachel responds “It’s certain”. Because, she insists, “It’s incredible that no one knew. We are really disappointed.”
On a table, small yellow ribbons are piled up in support of the more than 200 Israeli and foreign hostages held by Hamas. This Israeli florist distributes them. She is an “anti-Bibi”, the nickname given to the Prime Minister. “I come from a socialist kibbutz, she says proudly. Netanyahu is not good for us. He will never get my vote.” She is convinced that the head of government has responsibility for the Hamas attack of October 7 and says she is horrified by the stature “warrior”u Prime Minister. She would like there to be room for negotiation, that is to say exchanging the hostages for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel but “Bibi doesn’t want to,” she despairs.
What political future awaits Benjamin Netanyahu at the end of this war? The report in Tel Aviv by Farida Nouar and Laurent Macchietti