Anti-Netanyahu Rage, Calls for His Resignation

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

Israel's longest serving prime minister exceeds the worst criminality of his predecessors.

Never coming close to achieving majority support, what no Israel PM ever had, he's reviled by most Israelis, yet remains prime minister, a menace to Jews and non-Jews alike, as well as neighboring countries Syria and Lebanon.

Facing serious charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, long delayed justice may one day catch up to him.

Accountability for his high crimes of war, against humanity, and genocide remains out of reach because Israeli policy throughout its history supports these atrocities against Palestinians and neighboring states.

According to the Times of Israel Wednesday, thousands of Israelis protested publicly for Netanyahu's resignation, dozens arrested.

Israeli Jews got a taste of what Palestinians endure regularly, the TOI, saying:

"Police used water cannons, and officers mounted on horses charged demonstrators to disperse several hundred people who blocked the Jerusalem light rail after midnight Tuesday, following a large protest outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's official residence," adding:

"Several thousand people had gathered Tuesday evening, calling on Netanyahu to quit over his indictment on corruption charges, as several separate social protests…at the same time across the country" — angry about his mishandling of spreading COVID-19 outbreaks and indifference toward public health and welfare.

Many protesters said they'll stay outside his residence until he steps down.

Signs read: "You are detached… We are fed up…Bibi go home…Netanyahu's corruption makes us sick…Netanyahu, resign."

Others held placards denouncing his criminality and dismissiveness toward ordinary Israelis he exploits, doesn't serve, never did.

One protester said Israelis "will have nothing to eat. 

Civic security will be shaken. (The nation) will become more of a police state" than already.

During a large-scale July 14 protest, the 231st anniversary of the French revolution, one protester chanted: "Demand liberty, equality, and fraternity."

Calling Netanyahu the "crime minister," a protest organizer said Israel reached the "point of no return."

Public anger spilling onto streets was a "long time coming," adding:

"Tuesday's protests were different because people from across Israel, including Eilat, which is four hours away, and from different backgrounds, came to the demonstration."

"We started this (anti-Netanyahu) protest four years ago and have had a weekly tent near the prime minister's residence, but now the protesters are gaining momentum and getting bigger." 

He'll "stop at nothing to avoid conviction, even if it comes at the cost of harming ordinary people or bringing Israel to the brink of civil war."

Another protester said every day "feels like a slap in the face. It's time for a change, but no one's listening."

An angry woman expressed concern about "no future" for her in Israel, an anti-democratic, neoliberal, police state run by its criminal class, Netanyahu the head of the snake.

A police spokesman said crowds filled Jerusalem city's central area.

"Hundreds were disturbing the order…throwing stones, eggs and objects at the police forces, in addition to extensive damage to properties."

District police commander Doron Yedid "supports freedom of expression but gave an order to disperse the disturbances and not allow harm to the public and property."

TOI explained that anti-Netanyahu protests have been ongoing regularly across Israel.

Years earlier ones rallied against neoliberal harshness, the bane of the vast majority of Israelis, greatly harmed like most Americans and others throughout the West.

Israel's economy is suffering like Western ones, ordinary people bearing the brunt of dire conditions, getting little or no help, including because of "bureaucratic complexities" of Netanyahu regime policies.

As in the US and most Western countries, governance serves privileged interests exclusively at the expense of ordinary people left hung out to dry.

Official Israeli unemployment is around 20%, the true figure likely much higher, fudged like numbers in the US to conceal economic collapse.

Current protests began over the weekend, continuing daily.

According to Al-Monitor.com, individuals protesting are largely struggling-to-survive self-employed Israelis and the unemployed.

Countless numbers in the country exhausted their savings. "(T)heir  business(es) are paralyzed and collapsing."

"The government, rather than extend(ing) a hand to pull them out of the mire, instead just let them sink."

On Tuesday, around 10,000 massed in Tel Aviv's Rabin Square, social distancing guidelines holding back greater numbers.

Besides large crowds in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, protests are occurring nationwide.

Netanyahu survived mass outrage against his regime years earlier by making lofty promises he failed to fulfill.

Will this time be different? Will he quell public anger by more promises to help?

Or are most Israelis on to his deception? Will protests mushroom to much greater size? Will they continue until demands are met?

Will public outrage achieve what wasn't accomplished before, shoving him closer to the edge while calling for the long arm of the law to finish him off?

Is Israel's longest serving prime minister nearing the end of the road?

Will his bullet-dodging days end with prison confinement?

VISIT MY WEBSITE: stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman). Contact at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

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