Israeli ministers yesterday took part in anti-government protests held in front of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office in Jerusalem, Arab48 reported.
The action was organized by Jewish settlers to protest against the increasing number of Palestinian resistance attacks against illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Cabinet ministers join settler protest of government response to West Bank attacks, vow 'action': Habyit Hayehudi leader Naftali Bennett slams security services for 'preferring rights of Palestinians over security of settlers,' as 200 protesters… https://t.co/CUd9bHml5q Haaretz pic.twitter.com/jZqoHPa0No
— Jewish Community (@JComm_NewsFeeds) December 16, 2018
About 200 settlers, in addition to a number of ministers and heads of settlement councils, gathered and criticized Netanyahu, who also holds the post of defense minister.
They accused Netanyahu of failing to combat the Palestinian resistance and called for him to approve the illegal outposts in the occupied territories, as well as to expand the illegal Ofra settlement, where two Israeli soldiers were killed last week and a third sustained serious injuries.
"Israeli settlers protest in front of Netanyahu’s home, demanding violence against Palestinians." A New Intifada? 4 Palestinians and 2 Israeli Soldiers Killed https://t.co/L2pjLcol3r via @thearabsource
— M8 (@MATErlandsson) December 14, 2018
In addition, the settlers called for preventing Palestinians from passing through the occupied West Bank’s main streets which should only be used by settlers themselves.
Meanwhile, the Jewish Home ministers who participated in the protests criticized Netanyahu during the cabinet meeting last week.
Dozens of settlers protest against security escalation in WB https://t.co/x55N44SKMe via @ynet
— Aryeh (@AryehsSharings) December 16, 2018
Netanyahu told the Jewish Home ministers:
“You are taking undesired action. The security institution is carrying out its work properly. We have heard about your conditions and threats.”
Tensions between the Jewish Home and Netanyahu rose after the shock resignation of Avigdor Lieberman from the post of defense minister in mid-November. The right-wing Jewish Home party had threatened to withdraw from the government coalition if its head, Naftali Bennett, was not named Lieberman’s successor.
TODAY: Israeli settlers march near Giv'at Asaf settlement against the recent Palestinian attacks in the #West_Bank. During the protest, settlers attacked Palestinian vehicles that passed through road no. 60.
Video by: @OrenZiv1985 / https://t.co/HGTx2nJTf2 pic.twitter.com/17xXwOoSDe— Activestills (@activestills) December 13, 2018
However, Bennett dropped his threat to withdraw days later saying he had decided to “stand by the prime minister’s side,” and not act on his ultimatum to leave the government.
(MEMO, PC, Social Media)
