Israelis Protest to Block Netanyahu's Trip to Berlin

Demonstrators in disguise, including a mask of Netanyahu, during a protest against the draft law on judicial reform (AFP)
Demonstrators in disguise, including a mask of Netanyahu, during a protest against the draft law on judicial reform (AFP)
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Israelis Protest to Block Netanyahu's Trip to Berlin

Demonstrators in disguise, including a mask of Netanyahu, during a protest against the draft law on judicial reform (AFP)
Demonstrators in disguise, including a mask of Netanyahu, during a protest against the draft law on judicial reform (AFP)

Protest leaders in Israel launched a "day of resistance to the dictatorship" against the judicial overhaul plan by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government, announcing that Thursday would be an "extraordinary day."

The protesters decided to disrupt the trip of Netanyahu slated on Wednesday to Berlin, as they did on the eve of his visit to Rome.

The number of demonstrators in the weekly protests exceeded 300,000 on Saturday, and its leadership was led by five former top leaders of the Israeli police.

Recent reports stated that the government decided to continue legislating most of the laws included in its plan, and that Netanyahu wanted to stop and halt the process, but his allies did not approve.

In response, the protest leadership decided not to enter negotiations unless the legislation was halted and the laws approved so far were canceled.

However, sources close to Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he had recently received several signs of a possible understanding.

The demonstrators protesting the government's plan had set a new record by demonstrating for the tenth week in about 130 locations.

Protest organizers said about half a million people participated in the protests nationwide, but the media put it at a quarter of a million people.

The opposition has surged from across society. For the first time, business leaders and legal officials have spoken out against what they say is a “ruinous” effect of Netanyahu’s plan.

On Saturday, five of the top inspectors of the police joined the protests and marched at the forefront of the major demonstration in Tel Aviv. They received a warm reception from the demonstrators.

The current police inspector, Yaakov Shabtai, held a press conference declaring that he made a mistake when he dismissed the Tel Aviv police chief at the request of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

"I made a mistake. I made an error of judgment; I was wrong in the timing and in the manner in which it was done. I do not take that lightly," Shabtai said, adding that he accepted the decision of the attorney general to freeze the appointment.

Shabtai also indicated he had considered resigning amid the uproar caused by the move but had decided not to walk away from the task and promised to protect the demonstrators and their right to protest.

Meanwhile, Attorney Eliad Shraga, chairman of the Movement for Quality Government in Israel, one of the critical organizations protesting against the coalition's judicial overhaul program, announced that the protesters would not negotiate with the government and issued a list of firm conditions for entering into talks.

Shraga set ten strict conditions, including adopting a constitution based on "the spirit" of the Declaration of Independence and passing a bill of rights to ensure equality "in rights and obligations" as preconditions for a compromise solution.



Tehran Hints 360 Soldiers Killed in 12-Day War with Israel

People attend the funeral procession of Iranian military commanders, nuclear scientists and others killed in Israeli strikes, in Tehran (Reuters) 
People attend the funeral procession of Iranian military commanders, nuclear scientists and others killed in Israeli strikes, in Tehran (Reuters) 
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Tehran Hints 360 Soldiers Killed in 12-Day War with Israel

People attend the funeral procession of Iranian military commanders, nuclear scientists and others killed in Israeli strikes, in Tehran (Reuters) 
People attend the funeral procession of Iranian military commanders, nuclear scientists and others killed in Israeli strikes, in Tehran (Reuters) 

Iranian Health Minister Mohammad-Reza Zafarghandi on Wednesday said close to 700 civilians were killed in Israeli attacks on Iran during the 12-day war that started on June 13.

His statements came two days after Saeed Ohadi, head of Iran’s Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs said the attacks killed over 1060 Iranians, indirectly hinting that at least 360 soldiers have been confirmed dead.

During a visit to a Tehran medical center, Zafarghandi said nearly 5,000 civilians were wounded in the Israeli attacks.

Checking on a 5-year-old Kian Ghasemian - a burn victim whose family was killed in the attacks - Zafarghandi described the Israeli strikes as “a savage and unjustifiable assault on defenseless people.”

The Minister said 18 members of medical staff, including six physicians, were among those killed in the airstrikes.

Zafarghandi noted that seven hospitals were directly targeted by Israel, and a number of medical centers were evacuated due to emergency circumstances.

Also, “Israel also hit 11 ambulances,” he said, adding all those Israeli actions were in violation of international principles, laws and human rights.

The minister’s new figures came shortly after Iran’s government has issued a death toll for its war with Israel, saying at least 1,060 people were killed and warning that the figure could rise.

Ohadi gave the figure in an interview aired by Iranian state television late Monday.

Figures show that around 360 soldiers were killed in the attacks, including 40 high-ranking leaders from the Revolutionary Guard.

During the war, Iran downplayed the effects of Israel’s 12-day bombardment of the country, which decimated its air defenses, destroyed military sites and damaged its nuclear facilities. Since a ceasefire took hold, Iran slowly has been acknowledging the breadth of the destruction, though it still has not said how much military materiel it lost.

The Washington-based Human Rights Activists group, which has provided detailed casualty figures from multiple rounds of unrest in Iran, has said 1,190 people were killed, including 436 civilians and 435 security force members. The attacks wounded another 4,475 people, the group said.