Thousands Block Tel Aviv Highway in Protest Against Gallant Dismissal

By Al Mayadeen English

5 Nov 2024 23:41

The crowd is estimated to exceed 2,000 settlers, well above the Israeli Occupation Forces' (IOF) restrictions on public gatherings in "Tel Aviv".

In a massive, spontaneous demonstration sparked by the ouster of Israeli Security Minister Yoav Gallant by PM Benjamin Netanyahu, thousands of protesters blocked "Tel Aviv's" Ayalon Highway, "Israel's" primary traffic route, bringing traffic to a standstill in both directions.

The protest erupted late Tuesday night, with demonstrators starting bonfires and constructing makeshift barricades from uprooted road signs and abandoned construction materials.

The swift and unplanned nature of the protest left police with limited resources on-site, as they were unable to block the highway entrances with trucks, a common tactic for the regular Saturday night protests.

The crowd is estimated to exceed 2,000 people, well above the Israeli Occupation Forces' (IOF) restrictions on public gatherings in "Tel Aviv".

Gallant: Disagreement mainly due to draft law

Following his sacking, Gallant made a statement, wherein he revealed that contrary to Netanyahu's claims, his dismissal mainly had to do with his stance on the ultra-Orthodox draft law Netanyahu is attempting to pass.

He further criticized Netanyahu's approach to the war saying “We have lost hundreds of fighters and soldiers in this battle and are carrying the burden of thousands of injured and disabled, with the war still ongoing.”

Gallant warned of significant challenges ahead, saying, “The coming years will bring great difficulties; the wars are not over, and the sounds of battle have not faded.”

He also addressed the issue of captives in Gaza, expressing that their return is possible, even if it requires concessions, some of which could be difficult to accept.

Crows chanting against 'traitor' Netanyahu

According to Israeli reports, the Ayalon Highway is now flooded with flags of the occupation, alongside images of Gaza captives.

Standing around bonfires, crowds chanted, "He's a traitor!" and "How much more blood will be spilled until the accused [of corruption] leaves?" referring to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Protesters were also heard repeating the mantra of the 2023 mass demonstrations against judicial reforms, "Democracy or revolution!"

Meanwhile, former Israeli PM Ehud Olmert called for civil unrest following Netanyahu's move, and opposition leader Yair Lapid called for mass demonstrations.

Security breach

Netanyahu claimed on Tuesday that his dismissal of Gallant  was due to a breach of trust amid the ongoing war on Gaza, according to his office.

In a statement, Netanyahu noted that substantial strategic disagreements had surfaced between him and Gallant recently. Last month, Israeli media reported that Netanyahu was seeking to dismiss Gallant, citing his "obstruction of expanding the attack on Lebanon."

Netanyahu stressed that full trust is "critical" between a PM and a security minister during a war, adding that "Unfortunately, this trust has eroded, and attempts to bridge the gaps have failed."

He asserted that the disagreements were not only made public in an "unacceptable manner," but also reached "Israel's" opponents, who had "derived great benefit" from the matter. 

He went on to say that the majority of government and security cabinet members felt the same way.