Thousands of Israelis rally against Netanyahu gov’t days before election

What the report says

Thousands of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv on Saturday, days before the country’s first general election since the war in Gaza began, to protest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and press for an independent inquiry into the security failures surrounding the October 7, 2023 attacks. The main rally took place in Hostages Square and was organised by the October Council, a group formed by families of people taken captive to Gaza.

According to Al Jazeera, the demonstrators were joined by opposition figures, including Gadi Eisenkot of the Yashar party, who is presented as Netanyahu’s main centre-right challenger, and Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats. The protests were part of broader antigovernment demonstrations elsewhere in Israel. The October Council said the event was intended to mark three years of campaigning for accountability, truth and a state commission of inquiry.

The article says polls ahead of Tuesday’s election indicate a close contest between Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc and Eisenkot’s camp, with neither side expected to win a parliamentary majority on its own. It also notes that the vote could affect Israel’s approach to Iran. More broadly, the report places the rally in a political climate shaped by demands for accountability over October 7 and continuing disagreement over how any inquiry should be structured, as Netanyahu’s coalition has rejected an independent commission.