in Jerusalem, thousands of people demonstrate against Benjamin Netanyahu

Monday evening marked the first evening of protests in what several opposition groups have called “resistance week.”

After more than eight months of war against Hamas and daily bombings on the Gaza Strip, the government of Benjamin Netanyahu faced a large-scale demonstration on the evening of Monday June 17. Several thousand people gathered between the Prime Minister’s residence and the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset, to demand early elections in order to obtain a new government.

In the procession, Israeli flags are more numerous than those dedicated to the hostages, captured by Hamas on October 7, even if among the political demands of the demonstrators, this remains the priority. “They have to come back now, that’s what’s important to me, with a deal.”underlines Ofakit, close friend of Émilie, kidnapped on October 7 in the kibbutz of Kvar Aza. “They’re calling for help, people are dying there and we’re not doing enough.”

Next to Ofakit, Marva holds up a sign that reads “The people are with Galilee, with the North”. Like 60,000 Israelis in the north of the country, Marva lives far from home and has no prospect of returning. “We have to go home, stop this war with Hamas, with Hezbollah and find a solution to take care of ourselves and recover from all this. But for the moment, we feel alone.”

The demands are numerous and the gathering is not really united. But a message comes back on everyone’s lips. “The world must understand that the government does not represent us at allaffirms Daniela who describes the ministers as “fascists”: “The majority of the Israeli people want this government to leave as quickly as possible.”

A clear message that Daniela and many other demonstrators will continue to carry on the morning of Tuesday June 18 for a new rally in front of the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament. Several opposition groups to the government have called for a “week of resistance” to obtain the resignation of Benjamin Netanyahu.