Likud coalition whip and Netanyahu loyalist MK Miki Zohar called on the government on Sunday to either ban protests like it banned other gatherings – which resulted in the closing of businesses – or reopen the entire economy.
“To approve mass protests which pose a health risk to all Israeli citizens on one hand and close many businesses which adhere to regulations on the other hand – is absolutely absurd,” Zohar wrote. “The government must decide: either open the entire economy including mass protests…or immediately stop these mass protests just as they decided to close businesses.”
Mass protests were held on Motzei Shabbos in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. In Tel Aviv, 13 protestors were arrested for inciting violence and assaulting police officers after protestors sprayed pepper spray on police officers, threw objects at them and blocked main city streets. One protestor even threw a flaming torch at police officers which fortunately did not cause any injuries.
In Jerusalem, police officers used water cannons to clear the area outside the prime minister’s residence on Balfour Street. Fifteen protesters were arrested, including former Shin Bet official Gonen Ben-Yitzchak.
The “black flag” protests against Netanyahu have become increasingly radical and violent. There was even a Palestinian flag spotted at the protest on Motzei Shabbos in Jerusalem.
ראש הממשלה בנימין נתניהו תוקף את ההפגנות מחוץ למעונו: "דגל הרשות הפלסטינית בהפגנת השמאל שמארגן אהוד ברק – בושה וחרפה"
בצילום: הנפת הדגל אתמול בהפגנה@gilicohen10 @VeredPelman pic.twitter.com/3nJyWAiQoG— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) July 19, 2020
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
We should all be protesting. What is going on here in Israel is a sad reality. The government seems to be changing their minds every few days of what is safe and what is not. Its no wonder that people are angry and confused. One day they shut down a city completely, the next day its open. Did that help anything? I witnessed police forcing people off buses who just wanted to go to work, because they didn’t have an ishur from pikud haoref (which was next to impossible to get). Many of us “regular people” cannot afford to not go to work. We have endured months of hardships and do not have money to burn through after months of closures. Then, after days of protests, all of a sudden, Bibi throws us a bone, a bit of money to every citizen (maybe), regardless if covid caused a financial loss for you or not, regardless if you are a billionaire, millionaire, didnt miss one day of work because you can work from home, or if you lost your tourism or restaurant job etc and have been living on a much smaller % of unemployment for months….. Hello, is anyone thinking about how to REALLY help?
Can you MK Miki Zohar please transmit this identical message to de Blasio