It was a hot and humid night.
But that’s nothing compared to the political temperature that’s going up quickly inside the Jewish state.
The protest movement against the current Israeli government – and specifically against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – is growing fast and furious.
So, I decided to come here to “ground zero” to walk through the swelling crowds, listen to the speeches, listen to the chants, talk to people, ask questions, and try to really understand what it is the protesters want and where their movement is going.
WHAT I SAW AT GROUND ZERO
A few observations:
• I think this movement is going to grow and that it’s going to be a long, hot political summer.
• Some of the protesters are truly left-wing revolutionaries. We saw some self-proclaimed anarchists – with signs describing themselves as anarchists – along with others describing themselves as communists. Both groups were demanding the creation of a Palestinian state while simultaneously demanding a state of anarchy and the spread of communism. Wow.
• Most of the protesters are not radical or dangerous. I saw lots of normal, regular, wonderful Israelis – older people, teenagers, those in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s. There was such a wide range of people. I didn't personally witness any arrests, though there were some last night. Most were peacefully listening to the speakers, waving Israeli flags, holding signs, and showing their support by their presence. Some were hostage families. Others, business people. I also met and interviewed retired Israeli General Dan Halutz, a former IDF chief of staff (I’ll publish my interview with him in a few days).
• The main thing I saw was passion. Not wild, nor crazy, but deep and sincere. They have very deep convictions. They know what they want and, above all, they want to be heard.
WHAT DO THE PROTESTERS WANT?
So, what exactly are the protesters demanding?
First, they're demanding that Netanyahu immediately make a deal with Hamas – at any cost – to get all the hostages out of Gaza immediately.
Second, they're demanding, at the very least, a temporary ceasefire to get the hostages out, though many want a permanent end to the war in Gaza.
Third, they’re demanding new elections. They believe that elections need to be called immediately and that Israelis must have the opportunity to choose new leaders to govern them.
Fourth, some – though not all – are demanding that Netanyahu step down immediately. Many say that he is responsible ultimately for the disaster on October 7th, that he is running the war terribly, and that he's not making decisions that will either win the war decisively or bring all the hostages home. Thus, these folks want an end to this war and an end to Netanyahu’s political career.
That said, there is not unity on all these issues.
In other words, not everybody agrees with their colleagues – they are joining hands in protest but their message is not entirely in concert with one another.
It's important to note that it’s not just in Tel Aviv where these protests are happening on Saturday nights.
They're starting to take place in Jerusalem and in various towns and cities all around the country.
And the protest movement is growing.
What we do know is that there is a growing pressure for Netanyahu to bring this war to a conclusion, get these hostages out, and lay out a plan for the post-Hamas world in the Gaza Strip.
That’s why we’re seeing this swelling protest movement.
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