Yossi Schwartz ISL (RCIT section in Israel/Occupied Palestine), 26.03.2025
Demonstrators blocked major roads around the Knesset, leading to traffic disruptions and clashes with the police. Six demonstrators were arrested, including Brig. Gen. (res.) David Agmon, who was brought to the Moriah station. The police said: “The demonstrators blocked roads and traffic arteries with vehicles and disrupted public order.”
According to the testimonies, a number of vehicles of demonstrators were stopped in the area of the Knesset, and the police began towing them after they did not comply with the instructions. In response, the demonstrators boarded and sat down on the tow truck that had been brought to the scene. At the same time, two marches set out towards the Knesset – one from Gaza Street and the other from Binyanei Hauma – on their way to a demonstration in JDC Square, in front of the Prime Minister’s Office.
Knesset members had trouble entering the Knesset: Knesset member Almog Cohen (Otzma Yehudit) was forced to use the Knesset Guard after he clashed with demonstrators. Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also went to the field, but returned accompanied by dozens of police officers. The defense minister preferred to arrive at his Knesset office by helicopter in order to avoid the roadblocks. At this time, there are intermittent traffic congestions and blockages on Kaplan Street at the Agranat Junction, Rothschild Street and Ruppin Street – the roads surrounding the Knesset.
The police continue to try to evacuate the demonstrators from the area. In its statement, it was stated that six suspects have been arrested so far and transferred for interrogation. The protest organizations said: “The Knesset is blocked, the people say ‘no’ to the budget for looting and the destruction of democracy.”
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also addressed what is happening outside the Knesset, saying, “Some anarchists are sitting on the sidewalk and blocking the center of democracy. The finance minister has to walk from the finance ministry to the Knesset. There would have been hundreds of thousands, but for a few dozen it’s the bankruptcy of the rule of law.”
Later in the day, a central rally is expected on Kaplan Street, with the participation of the families of the abductees. In the evening, another rally will be held near the Knesset, which will be attended by the families of the abducted and the fallen, including Vicky and Yehuda Cohen, Varda’s grandmother of Idan Alexander, Ofri Bibas, the aunts of Naama Levy, Einav Mozes, Einav Zengaucker, the families of Nir Oz, Gal Goren, Dalia Kushnir Horn, Ruthie Strom, Esther Buchshtev, Shai Dickman, Zvi Sussman and Danny Elgart. One of the leaders of the protest – among them Shikma Bressler, Moshe Radman, Yaya Fink and Ami Dror – said: “Ben Gvir’s police and his militias from the National Guard forcibly evacuate citizens who came to defend democracy. The Israeli government has declared war on the people of Israel, and we are not going to stop. We blocked all the entrances to the Knesset building. We call on you – get out of your homes and join the protest in JDC Square in Jerusalem!”
Were these demonstrations for liberal democracy that includes the Palestinians and not for ethnocracy only for the Jews, we would give them critical support, but this is not the case and we do not support both camps, though it is good that the Zionists are splitting as it weakens the Zionist Monster.
For Palestine, red and free from the river to the sea!