Politics1 min read

Thousands rally in Israel urging Eisenkot-Arab deal to remove Netanyahu

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Following Tuesday's vote, thousands of demonstrators gathered in Tel Aviv to demand a coalition between Gadi Eisenkot and Arab parties to unseat Benjamin Netanyahu. Although Eisenkot had previously ruled out such an alliance, combining forces with the Arab factions would comfortably clear the threshold for a governing majority. Meanwhile, Netanyahu's supporters rallied in opposition, as the prime minister alleged that the Arab parties stole the election using Qatari funding.

Key points

  • A partnership between Gadi Eisenkot and the Arab factions would yield a controlling 67-se…: A partnership between Gadi Eisenkot and the Arab factions would yield a controlling 67-seat parliamentary majority.
  • Benjamin Netanyahu accused Palestinian-Israeli parties of utilizing Qatari funds to steal…: Benjamin Netanyahu accused Palestinian-Israeli parties of utilizing Qatari funds to steal the election, a charge Qatar firmly rejects.
  • Counter-protesters and right-wing figures strongly condemned the proposed coalition and c…: Counter-protesters and right-wing figures strongly condemned the proposed coalition and criticized the historic surge in Arab voter turnout.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

In a counterprotest, Netanyahu supporters demand that Israel should not have a government with ‘terrorists’.

Thousands of people have rallied in Tel Aviv to urge the Israeli opposition to make a deal with Arab parties to remove Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Protesters at Saturday’s rally told the AFP news agency this may be the “last chance for real change” and that Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, is a “great manipulator”.

Main opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot has previously ruled out forming a coalition with Israel’s Arab parties, but a deadlock in Tuesday’s elections means siding with the parties could help him form a government.

“People really want this vote for change to work out, and they believe that… Gadi Eisenkot and other leaders of the Jewish-Israeli parties need to listen to their voice,” Al Jazeera correspondent Nour Odeh said from Ramallah on Saturday.

Counter-protesters also showed up to Saturday’s demonstrations, with Netanyahu supporters seen shouting their own demands that “Israel should not have a government with so-called terrorists”, Odeh said.

Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats in Tuesday’s elections, while Eisenkot’s won…

Politics