On Thursday, Israeli demonstrators closed two main roads, one of which links the cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa in central and northern Israel, to demand the conclusion of a prisoner exchange deal with the Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip and the holding of early elections.
Tel Aviv Tribune’s correspondent also said that Israeli security closed a street leading to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem as a demonstration began with the participation of prisoners’ families.
These field developments come as part of a series of protest activities within the framework of the “National Strike Day” called for by protest leaders to pressure Netanyahu’s government, according to the official Israeli Broadcasting Authority.
Moshe Redman, one of the protest leaders, said in an interview with Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, “The public must take the initiative. Do not go to work on Thursday, and do not send your children to school.”
He added, “We cannot see the kidnapped people (in Gaza) left in captivity, and we cannot see soldiers killed because of a political war.”
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Traffic disturbances
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said that anti-government demonstrators closed Highway 2, known as the coastal street linking the cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa in both directions, during peak traffic hours.
She pointed out that traffic disturbances occurred on Highway 79 heading west, where protesters closed two of the three lanes of the street.
For its part, Haaretz newspaper said, “Protests are scheduled to be held throughout the day throughout Israel, to demand a hostage deal and immediate elections. The measures will include barricades and demonstrations outside the residences of representatives of the Likud Party led by Netanyahu.”
“At the same time, activists will try to impose a kind of strike, urging people not to come to work,” she added.
She indicated that major protests in the evening would target Netanyahu’s residences in Caesarea and Jerusalem.
It quoted the protest leaders as saying, “We will protest until he falls… and the failed and most provocative prime minister will not stop the citizens’ demands to return the mandate to the people.”
Israeli Channel 12 also said that families of Israeli prisoners in Gaza closed the Ayalon Road south of Tel Aviv.
The channel quoted the families of the prisoners as saying, “The Prime Minister abandoned the kidnappers, and for him he will bury them in Gaza as long as he keeps his seat.”
“We have reached a point where Israel can no longer pressure Hamas to reach an agreement,” the families added.
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“Deal Now”
Video clips showed dozens of Israelis blocking Ayalon Road, using a large banner reading “Deal Now,” and setting fire to a small cage with the words “Save Us” written on it.
Last Sunday evening, Netanyahu sparked a political storm and anger among the families of the prisoners, when he told the private channel 14, which is close to him, that he was ready for a partial deal to return some of the prisoners detained in Gaza, stressing the necessity of resuming the war after the truce to complete its goals.
But on Monday, he retracted his statements, and said before the General Assembly of the Knesset (Parliament), “We will not end the war until we return all the kidnapped people, living and dead, and we are committed to the Israeli proposal that (US President) Joe Biden welcomed,” according to his claim.
It is noteworthy that government opponents and families of Israeli prisoners in Gaza have escalated their protest activities in recent weeks to demand a prisoner exchange deal and early general elections.