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Tens of thousands rally in Tel Aviv against Netanyahu

Xinhua, March 8, 2015 Adjust font size:

Tens of thousands of protesters rallied at a square in central Tel Aviv Saturday evening, calling for the replacement of incumbent Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the March 17 elections.

The rally, titled "Israel wants change," was organized by a non-profit organization. Many participants held signs supporting center-left parties including the Zionist Union and Meretz.

Main speakers at the gathering included former chief of the Mossad spy agency Meir Dagan and Michal Kesten Keidar, the widow of Dolev Keidar who was killed in Israel's 50-day military campaign against Hamas in the Gaza Strip last summer.

"I fear our leadership ended with no deterrence and no diplomatic achievements," Dagan told the crowd at the square where late Israeli leader Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated almost two decades ago.

Netanyahu is "fighting only one campaign -- the campaign for his own political survival," he said, adding that "in the name of this (Gaza) war he is dragging us down to a bi-national state and to the end of the Zionist dream."

Michal Kesten Keidar also blasted Netanyahu for his handling of the conflict with the Palestinians.

"Yes, Mr. prime minister, what's important is life itself," she said, regarding a recent comment by Netanyahu stressing the importance of focusing on the security threat of nuclear Iran over socio-economic topics.

"But it's impossible to speak all the time about Iran and to turn a blind eye to the bloody conflict with the Palestinians, which had cost us so much blood over the years," she said.

Yaron Rotem from Tel Aviv told Xinhua that he hopes the protest would empower center-left voters who feel it is impossible to replace Netanyahu, who has served two consecutive terms as prime minister.

"I'm very happy that so many people came. I think it's sending an important message," he said. "It lets center-left oriented people like myself know there is a chance, there is hope. We just have to stick together and go vote and believe they can make an influence." Endit