On Monday evening, protesters marched past Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence, carrying empty coffins to symbolize the burden they claim he bears heavily.
Following the discovery of six dead Israeli hostages in a Gaza tunnel last weekend, the repercussions of the conflict have increasingly weighed on Israel’s leader.
“I think the fact that they were alive and then murdered right before they could have been saved—that broke it,” stated Anna Rubin, a participant in the Tel Aviv protest.
“That’s a breaking point for a lot of people—they are on the edge of their seats, and they realize that sitting at home is not going to do anything.”
On Monday, tens of thousands marched in the streets, following massive demonstrations in Tel Aviv the previous evening. Many see this as a potential turning point, although Prime Minister Netanyahu has faced similar situations before.
He has experienced months of these street protests and years of similar ones. Backed by a parliamentary majority, his approach has mostly been to dismiss their demands.
However, if Mr. Netanyahu is not heeding the protesters, it appears that many in Israel are also not engaging in the protests.
A one-day general strike called by the national labor union saw sporadic participation, even in Tel Aviv, known for its liberal stance.
Most shops and restaurants in the city center remained open, briefly closing in a gesture of solidarity with Sunday night’s protests.
“I disagree with the decision,” commented a staff member at a local café. “We should have closed.”
Tamara, grabbing a street scooter and sporting large sunglasses and flawless lipstick, expressed, “I disagree with the strike. We want the hostages returned, but we can’t halt everything; we need to keep living.”
Twenty-three-year-old Niva was surprised to see many establishments open. “The country is in a very confrontational mood right now,” she observed. Yet, the most significant confrontation isn’t on the streets.
During a live press conference on Monday night, Mr. Netanyahu challenged anyone demanding further Israeli concessions in ongoing hostage and ceasefire negotiations mediated by the U.S.
“These murderers executed six of our hostages; they shot them in the back of the head,” he said. “And now, after this, we’re asked to show seriousness? We’re asked to make concessions?”
He argued that conceding would send a message to Hamas: “Kill more hostages and you’ll gain more concessions.”
He asserted that no one genuinely seeking peace and the hostages’ release, including U.S. President Joe Biden, would request further concessions from him.
Earlier, when questioned by reporters, Mr. Biden expressed doubts about the Israeli prime minister’s efforts to secure a ceasefire deal.
A primary Hamas demand is the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Philadelphi Corridor, a strip along Gaza’s border with Egypt.
Local media widely report that Israel’s security leaders, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, support alternative strategies to maintaining ground troops.
Mr. Gallant has openly urged the cabinet to consider a proposed compromise.
The most precarious moment of Israel’s previous large-scale protests, triggered by Mr. Netanyahu’s judicial reform plans, occurred when he attempted to dismiss Mr. Gallant, only to be compelled to reinstate him later.
According to political analyst Tamar Hermann of Israel’s Democracy Institute, attempting this again could be a genuine turning point for protests. Currently, the threat from demonstrators to him is “zero.”
Most are left-leaning critics whose disdain for the prime minister extends far beyond the hostage situation in Gaza.
“Netanyahu knows better than anyone,” she noted, “the best strategy is to let it act as a safety valve—let people vent, ‘we despise you, you are a murderer.’”
Despite being shielded by his parliamentary majority, Prime Minister Netanyahu appears poised to withstand street-level demands for a deal, at least for now.
However, demands from his own defense minister and the U.S. president may be more challenging to dismiss.
