Thousands of protesters gathered in Jerusalem on Saturday evening to demand the departure of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, indicted for corruption and accused of mismanaging the health crisis, on the eve of the feared announcement of new restrictions.
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Since the beginning of the summer, and despite the Covid-19 pandemic and the hot weather, thousands of people have been meeting after Shabbat, Saturday evening, across the country, in major cities but also at crossroads or on bridges to call for the departure of the Prime Minister.
Mr. Netanyahu was indicted in November 2019 for corruption, fraud and breach of trust in three cases, a first for an Israeli head of government during his term in office.
In Jerusalem, thousands of demonstrators marched through the city's streets before reaching the prime minister's residence, an AFP photographer noted.
The protesters, overwhelmingly wearing protective masks, also accuse Mr. Netanyahu and his government of failing to contain the Covid-19 epidemic and mismanaging its economic impact.
To fight against the spread of the new coronavirus, Israel had imposed in mid-March a strict confinement during which only professionals exercising jobs deemed essential were allowed to work and any public gathering was prohibited.
In recent months, the unemployment rate has risen to over 20% from 3.4% in February, and due to low social assistance, a significant part of the Israeli population is facing economic hardship.
And the infection rate in Israel is on the rise again.
With 152,525 cases of Covid-19, including 1,101 deaths, for a population of nine million inhabitants, it is one of the highest in the world.
In the midst of the second wave, the Hebrew state this week reimposed partial confinement in some localities, limiting travel and closing non-essential shops and schools.
And on Thursday, the cabinet in charge of the fight against the new coronavirus approved the establishment of a general two-week lockdown to start just before the Jewish New Year (Friday) to limit gatherings and stem the epidemic.
The terms of this confinement must however be voted on and approved by the government this week.