Thousands rallied in Tel Aviv Tuesday night against government policies they deemed "dangerous" to Israel's Jewish character.
Holding signs and flying Israeli flags, the crowd called to topple the government for promoting several recent pieces of legislation aiming to challenge the Chief Rabbinate's monopoly on issues such as Kashrut and conversions to Judaism. Protesters also called to reinstall Likud Chairman and Opposition Leader Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister.
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Thousands rally in Tel Aviv in protest of government policies Tuesday night
(Photo: Moti Kimchi)
One by one, Likud and Religious Zionist Party lawmakers and other prominent figures on Israel's political right took the stage at Habima Square and blisteringly denounced the government.
MK Itamar Ben Gvir of the hard-right Otzma Yehudit faction within the Religious Zionist Party called on protesters to "take to the streets and declare that we want a democratic country, we want a right-wing government, we want the reins of power, we want victory."
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Hard-right MK Itamar Ben Gvir speaks at an anti-government rally in Tel Aviv on Tuesday
(Photo: Moti Kimchi)
Ben Gvir also attacked left-wing legislators who took part in a conference addressing a recent surge in settler violence on Palestinians in the West Bank on the day of the funeral of Eli Kay, an Israeli gunned down by a Hamas terrorist in Jerusalem's Old City last month.
"Two weeks ago, a fine young man was murdered. He was the son of all of us, Eliyahu David Kay. On the day of the funeral, what do the crazy left do? Hold a conference on settler violence," he said as the crowd began to boo.
"A Jewish man was laid to rest and they're talking about violence. 'You should be ashamed,' I told them. 'Have you no hearts?' I yelled until I was ejected from the conference."
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Protester holds up a Benjamin Netanyahu election poster in an-government rally in Tel Aviv on Tuesday
(Photo: Moti Kimchi)
According to organizers, tens of thousands showed up at the rally and show their dismay at the actions of the government.
"The public has voted with its feet. Tens of thousands came here to support the cause and protest against the actions of the Israeli government," the organizers told Ynet. "The government forgets that we are a Jewish and democratic country that our forefathers fought to establish. Now it is working to erase its identity. This government has no legitimacy and we do not accept it. We shall keep fighting to keep Israel a Jewish country."