Tens of thousands of Israelis are protesting

Tens of thousands of Israelis are protesting for a hostage deal after hearing of the deaths of six hostages.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cze5x793569o

 

It’s terrible and very sad. That those evil horrible people in hamas murdered those six hostages in cold blood. But even worse that Netanyahu hasn’t agreed to a ceasefire and got the hostages all home already.

 

Nethanyahu didn't agree to demands of Terrorists for full withdrawal of forces from Gaza. He agreed to US plan.
Hamas is the one who didn't agree to US brockered deal.
As horible as it is, for hostages, in event of IDF withdrawal million of Israelis will be hostages of Hamas , all Southern Israel.
Hamas wanted 1000s of the terrorists released for few hostages.
There are those in Israeli government(BenGvir) that are calling to resume death sentence to terrorists.
It's Hamas who is refusing to accept US brokered plan. Israel agreed to the proposed plan.

 

Netanyahu, or rather, the Settler Parties, wouldn't want to waste the opportunity to end Palestinian presence in Gaza. They don't care about hostages.

What still puzzles me is what Hamas hoped to gain. Nothing I've been saying about Smotricht and Ben Gavir is any sort of secret. Hamas leadership had to know how the Israeli government would respond to a really nasty and shocking act of terrorism. Why did they do it?

 

I think Hamas hopped to have a regional war, they hopped to ignite West Bank, and Hezbollah, and other fronts in full blown war.
They jumped the gun, on the Iranian plan to attack Israel on multiple fronts.
Hamas miscalculated, they thought Isrel will not go as far as Israel went.
Close to the first hostages deal they expected Israel to stop the operation in Gaza, just like in the past. But this round the political situation is very different, from political survival to demands for security of Southern Israel, demand for rocket free, terror free future, ?commitment to secure Israel.

 

I wouldn't say tens of thousands maybe a few thousand and most aren't Jews. Remember, Israel isn't just Jewish, there are loads of muslim citizens, Christian etc . Most of the protester aren't Jewish and the media are propagandist selling a product. They made it look way bigger than what it actually was.

 

What evidence do you have to support those rather astonishing claims?

 

I read it was hundreds of thousands maybe about half a million folks?

 

From what I read on Times of Israel:

Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters demonstrated in Tel Aviv on Saturday, calling on the government to advance a deal to release hostages held by terrorists in Gaza since October 7, and for the dismissal of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and early elections.

Attendees of Saturday’s protest said that it was the largest since Hamas’s October 7 massacre, with protest organizers estimating that some 120,000 demonstrators attended the Tel Aviv rally.

Similar demonstrations were held at numerous locations around the country.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/some-120000-anti-government-protesters-rally-in-tel-aviv-14-officers-said-hurt/

 

quote:

• Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to Israel’s streets Monday for a second consecutive day, organizers said, as the country was brought to a near-halt by a general strike over anger at the government’s failure to secure a ceasefire-for-hostages deal.

https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-hostages-war-hamas-gaza-09-02-24-intl-hnk/index.html

 

Yes, a large union called for a strike. Histadrut represents 800,000 trade unionists. I doubt most of the members are non-Jews.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/israel-hamas-war-netanyahu-strike-protest-ceasefire-hostages-killed-hersh-goldberg-polin/

 

Histadrut's strike was ruled illegal, but there are still others striking.

University presidents and the Israel Business Forum, which represents some 200 of the country’s largest companies, joined the strike, as did several large municipalities, including Tel Aviv. The latter strikes are unaffected by the court’s ruling.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/court-shuts-down-histadrut-strike-accepting-government-claim-it-was-political/

 

The strike was short, interrupted by the Israeli Court. Histadrut followed Judges order.
Histadrut, has a lot of power, but they can't paralyze the economy of the entire country without plausible cause, their justification for the strike fail short of what is allowed.
Many employers in private and Gov sectors deemed this strike illegal and will not compensate the employees for the hours they lost.
The economy already suffering from the prolonged war and this wasn't the right form of protest.
The pain is strong, 70% of Israelis want change in their government.
Hamas and Iran are delighted to watch Israel break from within.
Hamas was not going to make any deal.
Avigdor Lieberman head of Israel Beitenu opposition party, former Minister of Defence under Netanyahu, who quit in protest from netanyahu government in the past, proposes death penalty to terrorists who are found guilty in killing Israeli civilians and defiantly to those participated in attacks.

 

Netanyahu is a liar. He makes demands that he knows Hamas will not accept simply because he wants to keep the war going so that he can remain in power. He then blames the failure on Hamas. Biden seems to be growing tired of this silly game. I think Biden needs to start playing hardball.

 

Indeed, Hamas is to blame. They are monsters and murderers.
Right now, Hamas supply lines reduced significantly, some of the Hamas demands will enable Hamas to re-arm.
But Temporary moving from the area, to release if alive hostages should be priority.
It will take effort to recapture the areas if needed, Hamas knows that, so they want the deal in stages.
To buy time so weapons, rockets and other supplies be smuggled via Egyptian border.
Armed Hamas , means all South Israel is hostage of Hamas. It means Hamas can shoot rockets just like Hezbollah in the North.
I don't think any country would suffer such threat to their people.

 

If I understand the Israeli polls properly, most Israeli's are wising up to Netanyahu's lies and realize he's just selfishly and desperately trying to stay in power. They just want the war to end and to get all the hostages home. I think it helps a lot when senior members of the IDF speak up with the truth. Continuing the mass slaughter in Gaza will just recruit more future terrorists.

An additional thought, a likely secondary bonus from Netanyahu's point of view for keeping the war going is that he probably figures it may help Trump get reelected. I think he probably finds Trump very easy to manipulate.

 

I think Israel has to be smart, the prolonged Gaza war is weakening the IDF, solders are getting killed, and injured, Israel internationally loosing as well.
The goal of returning all hostages and destroying Hamas by military pressure wasn't achieved. Hamas is still controlling Gaza, and the only thing is that their rocket making and supplies are reduced significantly.
The hostages should be released in an agreement, deal. There is a chance this will end the attack of Hezbollah on the devastated North Israel, and further deterioration of the state of Israel on many levels.
It will provide an opportunity to have elections and the people will make the changes necessary, new leadership will emerge, take time to heal and rebuild, buy time.

 

Agreed!

From my point of view, the smartest thing Israel can do is get rid of Netanyahu and get a leader that puts Israel first.

 

Oh, but he DOES "put Israel first", at least in the eyes of his current coalition. First, that is, before anything or anyone else that might interfere with "the river to the sea." (I don't know which side coined that ominous phrase but both sides have used it.)

As I keep warning you all, don't assume an election held next week would produce materially different results than the last election produced. Hamas really DID commit an historic blunder in launching its attack.