Antigovernment Protests Swell in Israel as Parliament Resumes Session

Israel’s Parliament was the focal point of resurgent antigovernment protests on Monday as it reassembled for its summer session after a six-week recess. The stability of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition has been called into question, with calls for early elections at the forefront of the demonstrations.

After weeks of divisions within the wartime emergency cabinet surfaced, protests demanding a change in leadership gained momentum. Prior to the assault on southern Israel on Oct. 7, mass rallies against a proposed judicial overhaul plan by Mr. Netanyahu’s far-right and religiously ultraconservative coalition had gripped the nation. The leaders of these protests had temporarily stepped back during the conflict with Hamas but returned on Monday during a “Day of Disturbance.”

Leading the charge was Shikma Bressler, a renowned particle physicist who had been the face of last year’s protests but had since taken a backseat during the conflict with Gaza. Bressler orchestrated an action that involved hundreds of cars driving slowly on highways across the country, causing traffic jams as they descended on Jerusalem. A large rally was planned outside Parliament as the assembly reconvened.

The unity that had prevailed in Israel in the wake of the conflict with Hamas seemed to be dissipating, with growing discontent over the government’s handling of the situation. A group of military reservists, known as Brothers and Sisters in Arms, reappeared on the main highway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on Monday morning, holding portraits of hostages still held in Gaza.

The protests, which had previously focused on domestic issues, had now shifted to demands for accountability and a resolution to the ongoing crisis in Gaza. Mr. Netanyahu, facing criticism from within his own cabinet, has yet to take personal responsibility for the policy and intelligence failures leading up to the conflict.

As tensions continue to rise, the future of Netanyahu’s coalition remains uncertain. Calls for a clear strategy for postwar Gaza have intensified, with a looming ultimatum from Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and former military chief Benny Gantz. The protests on Monday underscored the mounting frustration with the government’s inability to achieve its goals in Gaza.

“No majority of 64 will stop the people,” declared Bressler as the protests gained momentum. The resumption of antigovernment protests indicates a growing discontent with the current leadership and a desire for change among the Israeli population.