More than 10,000 demonstrators moved it last Saturday in Jerusalem on the streets. Thousands more demanded in other Parts of Israel for the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Series a in the series of weekly demonstrations, the government of Israel for months up. And they attract more and more people angry about how the government is dealing with the second wave of the COVID-19-infections, and the economic consequences of the pandemic.

the core of the protests: Political discontent

"our goal with two words: 'Resign, Bibi,'" says the 59-year-old Tali Etzion of Tel Aviv, where she uses the widely-used nickname for the politician. Etzion takes part in 2011 Anti-government protests. At the time, hundreds of thousands took to the streets, demanding economic justice and an end to corruption.

"to say it with a few more words: We believe in all - each from his own perspective -that Netanyahu is the wrong Person to lead our country. This is the so-called normal times, and even more so in times like these," says Etzion and refers to how the government reacts to the Corona-crisis.

"It is unbearable, the gap between the citizens, whose lives have taken very much damage, and the people who pretend to be leaders, but without end to enrich," says Ofer Shelly, a 50-year-old Pianist and concert producer from Jerusalem. His existence as a musician is greatly affected by what he referred to as "complete separation of the government from the population". "None of our leaders stands up and says, 'I see your Suffering, I see sorrow.' They don't even care to talk with the protesters. Not a single Time."

Also of the Likud voters are incensed.

Both Netanyahu as well as Minister to his right-wing Likud party, to be referred to the demonstrations as a "left-wing protests" and their participants as "anarchists". A part of the population shares this opinion, but many disagree - including the Cheers emergent self.

"Netanyahu denies the nature of the demonstrations, their proportions, and even the identity of the participants," says Efrat Safran. The 57-year-old lawyer from the city of Ramat Hasahron has been going on for a Long time to demonstrations. "Neither a single Organisation nor a single person to organize all of this here," she says. "The protests are organically grown. People from across the political spectrum take part in it." The "disillusioned" Netanyahu-voters included, as they are called.

In a Video that spread online virally, says Arnon Grossman, according to information from Likud voters, why he participated in the Anti-government protests. Other supporters of the party to hold protest posters on which Bibi is ", also of the Likud voters are against a dictatorship".

Grossman told the Israeli blogger Or-ly Barlev, he had for many years elected Likud will not do it, however, "as long as Netanyahu leads the party". "I would expect that a leader of the people encountered in such difficult times with compassion," he explained. "To be honest, I feel guilty. Because of people like me, he is now in this Position."

Measured in terms of the signs and posters at the protests - particularly those in the Balfour street in Jerusalem, where the residence of the Israeli Prime Minister is - is widespread dissatisfaction far.

"For some, it is the economic situation, for others it could be the decaying democracy or the endless corruption scandals," says attorney-at-law saffron about the Motivation of the protest participants. "Space is for everyone, but the message is clear: Go home, Bibi."

Where are the young people?

for Years, could the protesters do not understand why the young Generation joined. "We had already built our houses, made a career, but what is with you? It is your future," says saffron. Their children are now older than 20 years. "You have been born into a Bibi reality. You know nothing and not believe that something could be different."

involved But three elections within a year, widening corruption scandals, in which Netanyahu allegedly is, the rising unemployment in the shadow of the pandemic and, not least, the arrest of a former army General who was the protester seems to be all the to solve the the young Israelis out of their apathy.

One of them is Amir Gert man who regularly goes to the demonstrations in the Balfour-street. "I really hope in these protests," says the 22-year-old Student from Jerusalem. He did not believe that Netanyahu resign or his coalition partner from him at a distance. "And yet, it is important to me," says Gert man. Mainly because I can't accept it without objection, that will be tried against a legitimate Anti-government Demonstration, hard to access, which takes place only five minutes walk from my home."

Only a step to dictatorship

Many young Israelis, such as Gert man have only a small Chance to find your studies a Job. If you ask the Shy Engelberg, it's no Surprise that these young people lead the protests. "Netanyahu, Israel has only adds damage," says the 36-year-old protester who works in the area of high technology. "He's lying, sowing hatred, used evil methods that he learned from people like Trump, Putin, and Erdogan." Engelberg is sure: "I would not want my children to grow up in a country in which their voice does not count. The people feel that the democracy runs through the fingers."

Although the protests were mostly peaceful, ending sometimes in clashes between protesters and police officers. There are also examples in which small Gangs of Netanyahu supporters and people from the extreme right-wing area or Ultras of the football scene, the protesters have attacked.

Recently accused Netanyahu at a Cabinet meeting, the media, the protests to "incite" violence and incidents of misrepresentation. "There has never been such a distorted mobilization of the media in favour of the protests - I just wanted to say, in the Soviet style, but it has already reached North Korean conditions," said the Prime Minister.

protester Etzion believes that Netanyahu's political Survival. "And if he has to make Israel a dictatorship - so be it." All that the country has to a point brought up, says protest participants pure saffron. "It is impossible to speak here at all about left or right, if we do not have democracy for the first Time in 72 years, possibly more. Reconciliation will not begin until he snuffs it. And the threat to democracy will not be gone. Soon there will be no more Land."

author: Dana Regev (Tel Aviv, ust)

*The post "What is behind the growing protests in Israel?" published by Deutsche Welle. Contact with the executives here.