Tel Aviv protesters demand Netanyahu accountability before election

Thousands rallied in Tel Aviv on Saturday against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, three days before a general election widely seen as a referendum on his leadership. The protest, organized by the October Council, drew leaders of four main opposition parties. The demonstration demanded accountability for the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack and a state commission of inquiry, which Netanyahu's government has refused to establish. Polls show neither bloc securing a parliamentary majority, with opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot's bloc projected at 52 seats versus Netanyahu's 50. Police arrested a suspect for assaulting a security team member, reportedly targeting former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. Netanyahu suggested developing an alternate digital economy amid international isolation, drawing opposition mockery, including Eisenkot's sarcastic "bbCoin" reference.