Netanyahu Supporters Demonstrate in Jerusalem After Police Clear Their Way

Some 300 of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s supporters gathered on Thursday outside his official residence in Jerusalem, in a show of support after several weeks of growing anti-Netanyahu demonstrations in the same location.

Four anti-Netanyahu protesters were arrested during a counter-protest outside the prime minister's residence in Jerusalem for violating public orders and refusing to obey the police, the police said.

Earlier on Thursday, the Israel Police removed dozens of protesters via force from an anti-Netanyahu protest camp near the prime minister's residence.

The organizers of the anti-Netanyahu camp said they do not accept the police's demand that they clear the premises, and about 10 of them – including former Shin Bet head Carmi Gillon – chained themselves to nearby roadblocks before police pulled them away.

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Following the High Court of Justice’s ruling on Wednesday, police stressed they would enforce noise restrictions as of 9:30 P.M., and the protesters would be asked to leave at 11 P.M.

Meanwhile, several hundred anti-government protesters took to the streets in Haifa, Be’er Sheva and other cities across Israel.

Similar protests have been taking place for many weeks now, and call for Netanyahu to resign amid his corruption indictments and ongoing trial. They are also a response of dissatisfaction to the government's handling of the economic effects of the coronavirus crisis.

Liat, a resident of Haifa, who joined the protest, said she was "here for my daughters," adding that Netanyahu "had failed." Hagit, another protester, said: "A prime minister is essentially a manager, and any manager knows that most important thing is the trust of his workers, or citizens... Our manager has to go home."

Almog Ben Zikri contributed to this report.