Israelis persist in rallies against PM despite lockdown

Tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrated in hundreds of locations across Israel against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pressing ahe with ir campaign against Israeli leer on Saturday night after government banned large, centralized demonstrations as part of a new coronavirus lockdown.

protesters have been garing outside Netanyahu's official residence in Jerusalem each week for over three months, demanding his resignation. After imposing a second nationwide lockdown to halt a raging coronavirus outbreak, government last week passed a rule allowing people to protest only within one kilometer (0.6 miles) of ir home.

While Netanyahu has said restrictions are driven by safety concerns, protesters accuse him of tightening lockdown to muzzle ir movement. In line with new rules, organizers said that over 1,000 protests were held across country. In one of largest rallies, hundreds of people gared in Tel Aviv's central Habima Square, blowing on horns, pounding drums and chanting anti-government slogans. Dictatorship, sponsored by corona, said one poster.

Dozens of police officers stood behind metal barriers, and several people were arrested. Meanwhile, about 200 people gared outside Netanyahu's Jerusalem residence. protesters say Netanyahu should t serve as prime minister when he is on trial on corruption charges and accuse him of bungling country's coronavirus crisis, which has ravd ecomy. Many of protesters are young Israelis who have lost ir jobs.

Israeli media reported attacks on protesters in several locations, including an alleged assault that left a 57-year old woman with a bloody face in Tel Aviv. Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Netanyahu's rival and governing partner, called such attacks unthinkable and called on police to catch perpetrators. Protests that are held in line with health regulations are legitimate and vital to democracy, he tweeted.

Netanyahu and Gantz formed what y called an emergency government last May after three inconclusive elections in under a year. bitter rivals said alliance was needed to confront threat of coronavirus. But since n, government has been paralysed by infighting. On Friday, Tourism Minister Asaf Zamir of Gantz's Blue and White party resigned over failure to contain outbreak, ding more uncertainty about future of government.

Zamir, who remains in parliament, told Channel 13 TV Saturday night that country is in a huge health and ecomic crisis, but Netanyahu bungled response because he was preoccupied with demonstrations. next one who leaves should be Netanyahu, he said. Israel w reports over 7,000 infections a day and nation of 9 million people has more than 250,000 confirmed cases and over 1,600 deaths.

Israel's outbreak is among worst in world on a per capita basis. Israel garnered praise last spring when it moved quickly to seal its borders, closed many businesses and imposed strict stay-at-home orders. But in May, authorities abruptly reopened ecomy and lifted nearly all restrictions. Case numbers have soared since n.

(Im Credits: AP)

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