Netanyahu calls protesters “Fascist Militias”

Amid widespread protests across the occupied territories demanding the signing of a prisoner-exchange deal with Hamas and an end to the war on Gaza, Netanyahu labeled the protesters outside his West Jerusalem home as fascist militias, accusing them of endangering his life and that of his family.

In a video released by his office, Netanyahu claimed: “Protesting is a legitimate action in a democracy, but what is happening now is a financially supported, organized, and political protest against the cabinet. The demonstrators, just like fascist militias, are destroying public property, blocking roads, pursuing the children of officials, and threatening to kill me and burn my house.”

On Wednesday morning, protests took place around Netanyahu’s residence as well as near the parliament and ministry buildings in occupied Jerusalem. These demonstrations, referred to by the families of Israeli captives as a “Day of Chaos,” included clear calls for the cabinet to accept mediator proposals for a prisoner exchange with Hamas and to establish a ceasefire.

In this regard, the Israeli police issued a statement saying that protesters set fire to car tires and garbage bins near Netanyahu’s residence, resulting in several vehicles catching fire.

According to the statement, Israeli police arrested 13 demonstrators who disrupted public order. The police claimed that some had climbed onto the roof of a building near the regime’s parliament, displayed banners, and fired smoke grenades; they were later brought down and arrested.