Israelis Protest Against Netanyahu, Demand October 7 Investigation

Hundreds of Israelis took to the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday evening, gathering at Habima Square to protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in demonstrations that coincided with High Court hearings on the establishment of a state commission of inquiry into the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre.

The protest, organised by the Movement for Quality Government Corruption Watchdog and allied civil society groups, drew demonstrators calling to defend Israel’s judicial system and demanding accountability for what they describe as the government’s failure to prevent the Hamas-led attacks that killed approximately 1,200 Israelis nearly 1,000 days ago.

Speakers at the rally included a legal scholar, a retired military general, and bereaved parents who criticised Netanyahu’s alleged attacks on the judiciary, his government’s push to codify exemptions from military service for ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students, and what demonstrators called a persistent refusal to accept responsibility for the security failures that preceded October 7.

Among the most prominent voices was Hagit Chen, mother of Itay Chen, an Israeli-American soldier killed on October 7 whose body remains in Gaza. “It’s been nearly a thousand days,” Chen told the crowd. “The truth hasn’t been investigated, and responsibility hasn’t been taken.” She added: “You can’t ask us to bury both our children and the truth.”

In a striking symbolic gesture, a column of approximately 200 protesters marched to the rally from the Hungarian Embassy in Tel Aviv’s Old North neighbourhood, carrying a large Hungarian flag to celebrate the recent election defeat of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a close Netanyahu ally. Orbán’s 16-year rule ended last week following a victory by opposition leader Péter Magyar.

Protesters drew direct comparisons between Orbán’s dismantling of Hungary’s judiciary and what they describe as Netanyahu’s similar moves against Israel’s court system.

Chants from the marching bloc included “Seventh of October — the Netanyahu massacre,” reflecting the opposition’s position that government negligence was a central factor in the attacks.

The demonstrations unfolded against a tense legal backdrop. Israel’s High Court of Justice has been holding hearings on whether to compel the government to establish an independent state commission of inquiry into the October 7 failures, a move Netanyahu has resisted, arguing any such commission would be biased against him. The government’s position has drawn sharp public criticism, particularly from families of those killed or still held in Gaza.

Saturday’s protests were part of a sustained wave of anti-government demonstrations that have continued across Israel for months. According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), more than 1,667 protests have taken place across Israel since October 2023, with at least ten drawing crowds exceeding 100,000.

Police were present at Habima Square but no major arrests were reported during Saturday’s demonstration. At least two right-wing counter-protesters who clashed with demonstrators near the speakers’ stage were removed by officers on the ground.

The protests come as Netanyahu’s government faces simultaneous pressures on multiple fronts, including ongoing war operations, an unresolved hostage crisis, international arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court, and deeply contested domestic legislation.

Netanyahu has not publicly responded to Saturday’s demonstrations.