Tel Aviv Rally Draws Thousands Against Netanyahu Ahead of Israeli Election

Thousands gathered in Tel Aviv on Saturday to protest against the Israeli government, three days before legislative elections widely seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The rally was organized by the October Council, a group founded by families of victims and hostages from October 7, demanding a state inquiry into security failures that enabled the Hamas attack. The protest drew key opposition figures, including Netanyahu's main rival, centrist Gadi Eisenkot, who received a warm welcome, along with opposition leader Yair Lapid, Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Liberman, and Yair Golan. Netanyahu's government has refused to establish an inquiry commission, while opposition leaders have pledged to create one if they win Tuesday's vote, the first since October 2023. Final polls show a tight race, with Netanyahu's bloc at 50 seats and the opposition bloc around Eisenkot at 52, far short of the 61 needed to govern. Protesters voiced concerns over Israel's international image amid the Gaza war, conflicts with Iran and Hezbollah, and settler violence, while Netanyahu suggested Israel might need to develop an alternative economy to bypass international sanctions.