They fear an anti-democratic drift in Israel. Several tens of thousands of demonstrators demonstrated on Saturday evening, January 14, in Tel Aviv to proclaim their rejection of the policy of the ruling coalition around Benjamin Netanyahu.
Around 9 p.m., Habima Square in central Tel Aviv was full and crowds spilled into adjacent streets, according to AFP journalists on the spot. This is the largest demonstration since the swearing in of the most right-wing government in the history of this country of just over 9 million people on December 29. Benjamin Netanyahu managed to return to power thanks to an alliance with far-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties.
“Save Democracy”
In the absence of official estimates, several media have announced that 80 000 demonstrators had gathered there, citing “police sources”. Smaller gatherings were held simultaneously in Jerusalem. A thousand demonstrators gathered in front of the residence of Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Benjamin Netanyahu according to local media, and in Haifa, the big city in the north of the country.
The demonstrators responded to the call of an anti-corruption organization, around slogans calling for “save democracy”. She asks to prevent “the overthrow of the regime” policy in force in Israel since its creation in 1948.