Thousands of Israelis demonstrated in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening, respecting measures of social distancing, against the agreement concluded between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his ex-rival Benny Gantz and the formation of a threatening government, according to them, democracy.
Read also: Israel: Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz seal their union to get out of the crisis
About 2,000 protesters - according to Israeli media figures - answered the social media call from the so-called "black flag" movement to protest what they deem to be "a government of corruption".
They gathered in Yitzhak Rabin Square to "save democracy" , which they consider threatened by the alleged maneuvers of Benjamin Netanyahu, charged with corruption in a series of cases, to escape justice and stay in power.
Wearing protective masks and mostly dressed in black, the protesters stood two meters from each other, respecting the measures in force to fight against the Covid-19 pandemic which officially contaminated more than 15,000 people in Israel, including 199 have passed away. "The people against the government," could be read on placards of demonstrators waving Israeli flags.
They also affirmed their rejection of the alliance between Benny Gantz, head of the centrist Blue-White party, and the leader of the right-wing party Likud, Benjamin Netanyahu who, after sixteen months of an unprecedented political crisis in the history of Israel, agreed on Monday to form a unity government.
According to the agreement, the emergency government will work to deal with the new coronavirus and its consequences, including the sharp increase in unemployment. The agreement provides that Benjamin Netanyahu, whose trial for corruption has been postponed because of the crisis, will be Prime Minister for the first 18 months, after which he will be replaced by Benny Gantz. He also plans a government of 36 ministers, the most numerous cabinet in the history of Israel.
After the March 2 elections, the third in less than a year, President Reuven Rivlin instructed Benny Gantz to form the government. But at the end of March, having failed to rally a majority of supporters, Benny Gantz decided to surprise everyone to rally to his great rival to establish an "emergency government" . However, he had previously sworn not to share power with him, until he had resolved his problems with the law. Opposition supporters then blamed Benny Gantz, a former army chief of staff, for having surrendered.
On April 19, thousands of Israelis demonstrated in Tel Aviv to express their opposition to the signing of an agreement with Benjamin Netanyahu. "Was it a good decision or not, only history will judge it" , defended Friday Benny Gantz on Facebook, adding that it was a "responsible and fair act" , "despite the price ” to be paid.