The largest demonstration since the beginning of the war. Tens of thousands of people protested against Netanyahu

According to organizers, over 100,000 people gathered at the protest, The Times of Israel (ToI) website reported. The AP agency and some Israeli media wrote that this is the largest demonstration since the start of Israel’s war with Hamas in October last year.

Demonstrators outside the Israeli parliament called for new elections. They also demanded a more even distribution of the burden of military service among the population, writes Reuters. According to the DPA agency, Prime Minister Netanyahu also spoke out for a fairer distribution of this burden today. However, he stated that the war with Hamas prevented the government from adopting a law that would address this issue within the necessary time frame.

As of Monday, state allowances for ultra-Orthodox men of military service age are being canceled under an interim order by the Supreme Court. Based on the Attorney General’s decision, the military will be required to deport ultra-Orthodox students, who until now have mostly been exempt, from this day on. According to the media, it affects more than 60,000 men.

Strongly religious politicians sharply criticized the new regulations. According to observers, the dispute over this issue could threaten Netanyahu’s coalition government, which also relies on ultra-Orthodox groups.

Thousands of Israelis demonstrated against the government

Near and Middle East

A law that allowed most ultra-Orthodox men to avoid military service expired last year. The government has not yet managed to approve the new law, the provisional solution expires at midnight. According to some media reports, the government had prepared a proposal that continued to count on concessions for ultra-Orthodox men, but it did not have majority support in the government coalition.

According to the AP, the protesters also demanded the quick release of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip since last year’s terrorist attack. His attack on southern Israel, in which militants killed almost 1,200 people and kidnapped 250 people to Gaza, started the current war. Israel’s retaliatory massive bombing and ground operations have left more than 32,780 Palestinians dead and caused a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, according to Hamas-controlled authorities.