Thousands of Israelis protested outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s official residence, demanding that he be ousted ahead of this week’s parliamentary elections.
The weekly protests against Netanyahu have been going on for nine months. But they have lost power over the past few months, in part due to cold winter weather and after early elections were declared in December. Saturday’s event in central Jerusalem was the largest in months.
The grassroots protest movement believes Netanyahu will not be able to serve as prime minister while facing charges of corruption. Many also object to dealing with the coronavirus crisis.
Opinion polls predicted a tough race on Tuesday, with Netanyahu and his religious and nationalist allies struggling to secure a 120-seat majority in the Knesset, or parliament.
If the polls are correct, Israel could face weeks of horse-trading and even the possibility of an unprecedented fifth consecutive election in just over two years.
Netanyahu is counting on his extremely successful vaccination campaign to drive him to victory. About three-quarters of the country’s adult population has been vaccinated in less than three months, and the economy has reopened in recent weeks.
But more than 6,000 Israelis have died from Covid-19, the economy has been hit hard by repeated closures, and unemployment remains in double digits.
Many of the protesters lost their jobs or saw their businesses suffer as a result of repeated closures.
“It’s in our hands,” reads a sign on a giant Israeli flag. “We are saving the country. We are fighting corruption, we are the hope, ”said another banner.