Thousands of Israelis rally against Netanyahu gov’t days before election

Opposition figures join Tel Aviv protesters demanding an independent October 7 inquiry.

Protesters at the antigovernment rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday [AFP]

Thousands of Israelis are protesting against the government and calling for an independent inquiry into the security failures that led to the October 7, 2023 attacks .

Demonstrators rallied in the public plaza known as Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on Saturday, three days before Israel’s first general election since the genocidal war on Gaza began.

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The protest was organised by the October Council, a group founded by the families of captives taken to Gaza three years ago, to demand accountability for the government’s failure to prevent the Hamas attack that preceded the war.

“Three days before the election, we will hold the culminating event marking three years of struggle to uncover the truth, demand accountability and establish a state commission of inquiry,” the October Council wrote on X ahead of the rally.

Elsewhere in Israel, protesters were also gathering for antigovernment demonstrations, reported Haaretz newspaper.

Taking part were leading figures from opposition parties, including Gadi Eisenkot of the Yashar party, who is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s main centre-right rival.

In Tel Aviv, Eisenkot was greeted by chants of “Who’s coming? The next prime minister”, according to The Times of Israel. The leader of the Democrats, Yair Golan, was also at the rally.

“Masses, masses of masses, flowing in the ‘Democrats’ march from Rabin Square to the Hostages Square – for change, for hope, for r-e-v-o-l-u-t-i-o-n. What energy. This time it’s ours completely!”, Israeli citizen and lawyer Dan Adin posted on X.

Polls ahead of Tuesday’s election suggest a tight race, with Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc, in power since late 2022, neck and neck with Eisenkot’s. Neither bloc is currently projected to obtain a majority of seats in Israel’s parliament.

The election could be pivotal in determining whether Israel launches another round of strikes on Iran. Eisenkot is believed to be less inclined to resume military action against Tehran if he becomes Israel’s next prime minister.

However, on most other foreign policy issues, leading Israeli parties and politicians remain united, including in their opposition to the creation of an independent Palestinian state.

Ahead of the protest, the October Council alerted law enforcement to possible “provocations” from pro-government agitators.

“We have sent an urgent letter to the Police Commissioner following alerts about attempts by entities linked to the coalition to disrupt tonight’s rally,” it wrote on X.

The October Council aims to hold Israeli officials deemed responsible for the October 7 attacks to account and deliver justice for affected families.

Netanyahu’s coalition government, however, has refused demands to establish an independent commission of inquiry. Instead, it has offered to set up a “political” commission. Half of the commission’s members would be appointed by the government, while the remainder would be appointed by opposition legislators.

Opposition leaders have said they would boycott a commission appointed by politicians.

反对派人士加入特拉维夫抗议者的行列，要求对10月7日的事件进行独立调查。

周六，特拉维夫爆发反政府集会，抗议者们正在集会。[法新社]

数千名以色列人正在抗议政府，并呼吁对导致 2023 年 10 月 7 日袭击事件的安全失误进行独立调查。

周六，示威者聚集在特拉维夫被称为“人质广场”的公共广场上，三天后，以色列将举行自加沙种族灭绝战争开始以来的首次大选。

黎巴嫩人对以色列的民意调查持怀疑态度，认为这将带来变革，结束对南部地区的占领（共3条，第1条）

列表 2（共 3 项）：本杰明·内塔尼亚胡如何重塑以色列的制度

列表 3/3：以色列在西岸的突袭行动中，希伯伦有超过 2000 人被迫离开家园

这次抗议活动由十月委员会组织，该委员会由三年前被带到加沙的俘虏家属成立，旨在要求政府对未能阻止哈马斯在战争爆发前发动的袭击承担责任。

“选举前三天，我们将举行一场盛大的活动，标志着我们为揭露真相、要求追究责任和成立州调查委员会而进行的三年斗争的最终成果。”十月委员会在集会前夕在 X 上写道。

据《国土报》报道，在以色列其他地区，抗议者也聚集起来举行反政府示威活动。

参与此次活动的有反对党的领导人物，包括亚沙尔党的加迪·艾森科特，他是总理本杰明·内塔尼亚胡的主要中间偏右竞争对手。

据《以色列时报》报道，在特拉维夫，艾森科特抵达时，人们高呼“谁来了？下一任总理！”。民主党领袖亚伊尔·戈兰也参加了集会。

“成千上万的民众，从拉宾广场涌向人质广场，加入‘民主党人’的游行——为了变革，为了希望，为了革命。多么巨大的能量！这一次，胜利完全属于我们！”以色列公民兼律师丹·阿丁在X上发帖说道。

周二大选前的民调显示，选情胶着，内塔尼亚胡领导的右翼联盟自2022年底以来一直执政，与艾森科特领导的联盟势均力敌。目前预计这两个联盟都无法在以色列议会中获得多数席位。

此次选举可能对以色列是否会再次对伊朗发动空袭起到关键作用。据信，如果艾森科特当选以色列下一任总理，他不太可能恢复对德黑兰的军事行动。

然而，在大多数其他外交政策问题上，以色列主要政党和政治家仍然保持团结，包括反对建立独立的巴勒斯坦国。

在抗议活动开始前，十月委员会提醒执法部门注意亲政府煽动者可能进行的“挑衅”。

“我们已向警察局长发出紧急信函，此前有警报称，与该联盟有关的实体企图扰乱今晚的集会，”该信函在 X 上写道。

十月委员会旨在追究被认为应对 10 月 7 日袭击事件负责的以色列官员的责任，并为受影响的家庭伸张正义。

然而，内塔尼亚胡的联合政府拒绝了成立独立调查委员会的要求，而是提出成立一个“政治”委员会。该委员会一半成员将由政府任命，其余成员将由反对派议员任命。

反对派领导人表示，他们将抵制由政客任命的委员会。