Anti-Government Protests Held Nationwide as Thousands Rally in Tel Aviv, Haifa and Jerusalem

Protesters demonstrated against the government in multiple locations across Israel on Saturday evening, with the main rally at Habima Square in Tel Aviv drawing several thousand participants.

Among the speakers were Eran Kamin, former police chief, and Eliad Shraga, CEO of the Movement for Quality Government. Kamin sharply criticized President Isaac Herzog’s decision to review a pardon request submitted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“If the State of Israel had a president, he would throw this despicable document of fraud in the trash,” Kamin said. He also rejected Herzog’s recent comments at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where the president said Netanyahu’s trial was harming the country and that “solutions need to be found.”

“Netanyahu’s trial is not a ‘complex matter,’ and no ‘solutions’ are needed,” Kamin said.

Clashes and Arrests in Tel Aviv

During the Tel Aviv protest, a confrontation broke out between a demonstrator and a right-wing activist. According to an eyewitness, the activist allegedly attacked a protester and knocked him to the ground, after which the protester pursued him holding a chair until police intervened.

Police said two people were arrested in Tel Aviv on suspicion of assault and blocking vehicles, while three additional protesters were detained for allegedly disturbing public order. One detainee, an 18-year-old from Givatayim, was suspected of physically blocking a Knesset member’s vehicle and assaulting another protester. A 33-year-old from Netanya was later arrested on suspicion of blocking civilian traffic.

Thousands March in Haifa

In Haifa, thousands demonstrated at the Horev Center, following their weekly march from the Carmel Center. Speakers included Prof. Israel Wismel-Manor of the University of Haifa, Prof. Dafna Hecker of Tel Aviv University, and Eyal Bar-David, former CEO of Qualcomm Israel.

“Netanyahu knows how to sow only two things — hatred and fear,” Wismel-Manor said. “This country was built not on those, but on a dream.”

A separate protest was held outside the President’s Residence in Jerusalem under the banner “We are coming out to protect our future.” Speakers included attorney Nitzan Caspi Shiloni, activist Hadas Shoham from the Pink Front organization, and Bar Hefetz of Kibbutz Nirim.

Yanal Jabarin, director of the public department at the Abraham Initiatives, addressed rising violence in Arab society. “Crime is the result of years of neglect, discrimination and deliberate policy choices,” he said. “When citizens live without personal security or justice, democracy itself is in danger.”

Right-wing activist Moshe Miron, previously associated with Likud campaign activities, arrived at the Jerusalem protest playing music condemning the demonstrators. Police separated him from the crowd, though he remained nearby.

Be’er Sheva Rally Marks ‘Three Years Since the Coup’

In Be’er Sheva, protesters gathered at the Performing Arts Center plaza under the slogan “Three years since the coup.” Speakers included MK Michael Biton (National Unity) and Hadas Klein, a prosecution witness in Netanyahu’s trial.

Separate Rallies Call for Return of Hostage Ran Guili

At the same time, a rally calling for the return of Ran Guili, whose body is still held in Gaza, took place in Meitar, his hometown, led by family members. Participants included former captive Eitan Horn, Dalia Kushner, and Danny Miren, father of former captive Omri Miren.

Miren urged U.S. President Donald Trump not to advance to the next phase of Gaza reconstruction without Guili’s return. “We will not accept moving forward without Ran,” he said, calling for a mass demonstration outside the U.S. Embassy next week.

Talek Guili, Ran’s mother, appealed to U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, saying that “not all efforts have been exhausted” and warning against moving to a second phase without her son’s return.

Additional rallies were held at Sha’ar Negev, and on Friday a Shabbat gathering took place at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, continuing calls for Guili’s return.