Thousands of people gathered in Tel Aviv for large-scale anti-government protests held three days before general elections that are seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The rally was organised by the October Council, a group founded by the families of victims and hostages taken by Palestinian militants on 7 October 2023.
An AFP journalist reported that thousands marched from the centre of Rabin Square to Hostages Square, where the main rally was held. Hostages Square had also been the focal point of previous anti-government protests during which the release of hostages from Gaza was demanded.
The October Council called for accountability for the failure to prevent the Hamas attack that triggered the war in Gaza. Ahead of the rally, the group wrote on social media platform X: "Three days before the elections, we will hold a final event to mark three years of fighting for the truth, accountability and the establishment of a state investigative commission." The council also warned police of possible "provocations" by pro-government agitators.
Hadas Feuershtein (68) told AFP shortly before the rally began: "Whoever led us over the past four years has done a terrible job." She added: "Israel has never been in the situation it is in now."
The rally comes after years of campaigning by Israeli civil society and opposition parties for the establishment of an independent investigative commission to examine the security failures that led to the events of 7 October. Netanyahu's government has refused to establish such an independent body, proposing instead a "political" commission in which half the members would be appointed by the governing coalition and the other half by opposition MPs. Opposition leaders have stated they will boycott a commission appointed by politicians.
Polls show a tight race between the right-wing Netanyahu bloc, which has been in power since late 2022, and the bloc of his rival Gadi Eisenkot, positioned in the right of centre. The latest polls indicated that neither bloc will win a majority of seats in the Israeli parliament.
