A test hour - Minister Ben Gabir, the Commissioner and the police in the field:
the demonstration that will be held on Saturday night in the HaBima square in Tel Aviv will be the marker for whether the Israel Police are loyal to Israeli law or to the Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gabir, who explained without giving instructions how the police should behave in the leftist demonstration. Ben Gvir, for example, said that force must be used in an equal manner as in the demonstrations of other sectors.
Demonstration in Bhima Square against the reform of the judicial system // Credit: standing together
Although the organizers promised that there would be no political demonstration, apparently Tzipi Livni, Ayala Prokacha, Avi Himi and Ora Peled Naksh will speak in protest.
In addition, they called on the heads of the political parties to come to the Bima square to participate in the demonstration as all citizens, and to call on the public to come en masse.
Usually in demonstrations of this type, the one who was actually responsible on behalf of the police is the commander of the area, but this time it will be Superintendent Ami Ashad, commander of the Tel Aviv district.
However, the one who will have one eye open is Police Commissioner Senior Superintendent Kobi Shabtai who knows very well that Minister Ben Gabir will examine the conduct of the police at the demonstration.
Demonstrators carry the Palestinian flag at the left-wing demonstration in Tel Aviv last week, photo: Koko
Ben Gvir himself, although he doesn't call it instructions, but he puts the commissioner on the hook through the media when things he presents in front of the cameras are supposed to be closed in an operational discussion. This is how Ben Gvir actually conveys the messages to the police, over the head of the commissioner, through the media.
Hundreds of policemen will take part in the enforcement of the demonstration, contrary to the publications according to which there will be thousands of policemen on the spot.
During the conclusion of the discussion, the Commissioner of Police gave guidance on restraining tolerance and containment of the forces during the protest, when first and foremost, the purpose of the forces is to secure the event and maintain public order. With or without Minister Ben Gabir, an on-call police station will be located nearby.
Will the enforcement be increased from week to week?
The Commissioner of Police is in an impossible position, that on the one hand he has Minister Ben Gabir on his head and on the other hand, he met the other day with Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi, former Minister Bogi Yaalon and Dr. Eliad Sharaga, after that meeting Yaalon said: "Minister For national security, he looks more like the minister for nationalist chaos, and tries to guide the police in a way that has not been seen before.
There is no reason to talk about delusions in a place where it has never happened and should never happen. I'm glad the commissioner understands that." Did the commissioner face the message?
It will be possible to see it only on Mochash in Tel Aviv.
Black flags at a demonstration in Tel Aviv, photo: Koko
In the meantime, it seems that thanks to Minister Ben Gabir's statements, many citizens will come to the demonstration and the streets around the Bima Square will be closed on Saturday night.
It is also possible that the police will include the possibility of marches, as on the last night when the demonstrators marched to the museum and Ze'ev Citadel, although the minister requested that if citizens take to the road, the police should stop and disperse them by force. It will be interesting to see what will happen, if a Palestinian flag is flown in Bima Square, which is currently There are no calls for incitement on the part of the flag bearers, there is no legal directive to take it down.
The organizers of the demonstration announced that according to the principles established by the leading team, and according to the understandings reached with the protest movements, the civil organizations and the signatories of the letters calling for the protection of the judiciary, headed by the Supreme Court, and according to requests from the public of the demonstrators, the list of speakers at the rally was reduced and it will be based on a majority feminine.
Incumbent politicians and representatives of a particular movement or organization will not speak on stage.
The speakers will all call for the protection of the judiciary as a basic and necessary condition for the preservation of the State of Israel as a law-abiding democracy.
"no symmetry"
The organizers of the protests stated: "Netanyahu's plan for a coup d'état carried out by Minister Levin is the complete abolition of Israeli democracy and its transformation into a Netanyahu dictatorship.
The State of Israel was built for us, the citizens - not as a city of refuge for those accused of crimes.
This coming Saturday, the people will rise to their feet and stop the coup d'état.'
Makhtaz Zeit is activated during the protest of the late Sandek's loved ones in Jerusalem.
Will it also be operated in Tel Aviv?, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon
Brigadier General Assaf Agmon, one of the organizers of the Motzash demonstration in HaBima Square, commented on the words of Minister Ben Gabir in recent days: "A criminal convicted of supporting terrorism confuses the police with patriotic citizens who are fighting for democracy. Ben Gabir's blood plots and incitement against the demonstrators will not deter us nor will distort the truth - the coup d'état will encounter unprecedented civil resistance, in accordance with the law. There is no symmetry. The incitement and political violence always come from the right."
On the possibility of using batons, he said: "The request from the police to use force and batons against us is a clearly illegal order. We call on the police to refrain from repeating the violence that was directed at us in the Balfour protest, during which demonstrators, including Anuchi, were beaten by police officers, and a senior officer tried Guetta, was convicted of attacking demonstrators and continues to serve in the police."
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