Israel: New Mass Protests Against Netanyahu – Many Hamas Hostages Relatives

Thousands of Israelis, including many relatives of hostages detained in Gaza, protested again tonight (02.04.2024) in Jerusalem, calling for the resignation of the prime minister, who they accuse of “truthing” the trust of his people “Make a campaign against me, against the families of hostages, turn against us, call us traitors, when YOU are the traitor, the traitor of your people, of your voters, of the state of Israel,” said from a microphone Enav Zangower for Netanyahu. Her son, Matan, is held hostage in the Gaza Strip after Hamas attacked Israeli territory, on October 7. “You are responsible for October 7th in every possible way, you are an obstacle to an agreement on hostages, you leave us no choice, you must step aside. And we will continue to pursue you and you will not rest day, nor night, as long as my son Matan has no day, no night,” Zangower continued, speaking to the crowd who had gathered in front of Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, for the fourth consecutive night. Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak then called for elections to be held “now”. As he said, “the entrance (of the Israeli army) to Rafa will take place in a few weeks but the extermination of Hamas in a few months and by then all hostages will return to coffins.” Barak appreciated that “even if the liberation of hostages presupposes a cease-fire, Hamas may be crushed.” After weeks of protests every Saturday in Tel Aviv, anti-government protesters and hostages’ families joined forces to express their anger, every night outside Knesset. Some even spend the night in tents set up nearby. Nourit Steinfeld, a 72-year-old retired, knits along with other women a red white scarf – red for rage, white for peace, symbol of endless waiting. Their goal: to knit a 70 km long scarf, while Knesset is away from Gaza. Today they’re 30 meters away. “It is a way to express ourselves, in these difficult times, this country may not exist for a long time, because we feel threatened by abroad but mainly by the interior, with half the country supporting a government I consider criminal, corrupt.” “Many of us feel like hostages. On both sides, they don’t listen to us, they prefer to kill each other,” he added.