Chicago – February 18, 2024
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected calls for an early election, as thousands of demonstrators take to the streets of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, demanding his resignation.
Netanyahu’s popularity has plummeted in opinion polls since the October 7 bombing that began the disastrous conflict in Gaza.
Calls for an early vote have grown since October when the Palestinian group Hamas launched a rare attack on Israeli territory.
According to local media, thousands disregarded a police prohibition on massive rallies in Tel Aviv and took to the streets, albeit in far fewer numbers than last year’s enormous protests.
The protestors expressed their outrage over Netanyahu’s refusal to send a delegate to Egypt’s capital, Cairo, for negotiations on ending the Gaza conflict.
The US, Qatar, and Egypt have spent weeks attempting to arrange a ceasefire and captive release, but the talks have been hampered by a significant difference between Israel’s and Hamas’ demands. On Saturday, Qatar stated that the discussions “have not been progressing as expected”.
