March 11 (EUROPA PRESS) –
More than 250,000 demonstrators took to the streets of several Israeli cities this Saturday in a new day of protest, the tenth weekly call, against the judicial reform promoted by the Government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The most attended demonstration has once again been that of Tel Aviv, with 200,000 attendees, according to Channel 12 television, while there has been record participation in the cities of Haifa (50,000) and Beersheba (10,000). There have also been concentrations in Jerusalem, in front of the headquarters of the Presidency, and in cities such as Raanana and Ashdod.
In addition, the conveners have announced the call for a new protest for next Thursday under the slogan of “Day for the escalation of resistance.” On Wednesday they will also protest taking advantage of Netanyahu’s visit to Berlin.
“This is one of the most important weeks in the fight to preserve Israeli democracy against those who seek to destroy it. All Israelis with the Declaration of Independence at heart must come out this Thursday with strength and courage to defend the State of Israel,” The conveners have underlined, according to the newspaper ‘The Times of Israel’.
Meanwhile, a 22-year-old man has been arrested in Netanya for throwing a firecracker at protesters, the Police have reported. No news of personal injury. Two other people have been arrested in Hadera for throwing eggs at protesters.
Meanwhile, the chief commissioner of the Israeli Police, Kobi Shabtai, appeared this Saturday to report that he made “a mistake” by dismissing the commander of the Tel Aviv region, Amichai Eshed, last Thursday after criticism from the Minister of Security National, Itamar Ben Gvir, who denounced the lack of harshness of the police response to the demonstrations.
“I was wrong,” Shabtai said. “I have made a mistake in weighing the decision, the moment and the way,” she said, according to ‘The Times of Israel’. Eshed’s transfer was immediately suspended by the Israeli Attorney General’s Office on indications that it was instigated by Ben Gvir, which would contravene Interior Ministry regulations.
However, he has not announced his resignation as requested by some voices. “I promise you, the people of Israel, that I will protect your right to protest as long as it is within the law. I will not capitulate to any political pressure in this regard,” she stressed.
Ben Gvir, meanwhile, has again criticized Eshed, stating that he has failed in his duties and that his conduct “is not good.”
