E-Paper
Car rams into protesters at anti-government rally in Israel, 5 injured
Video clips shared on social media depicted the alarming scene as the vehicle aggressively navigated through the protesters before accelerating into the crowd.
Five individuals were wounded after a vehicle drove into a crowd of protestors during a large-scale anti-government protest in Tel Aviv on Saturday. Among the injured, one protester sustained moderate wounds, while the rest suffered minor injuries, local media reported. Police detained the driver and are investigating the motives behind the incident.
Video footage shared on social media depicted the alarming scene as the vehicle accelerated into the crowd.
Reacting to the incident, Israeli communications minister Shlomo Karhi attributed responsibility to “leftist leaders, both inside and outside the coalition".
"Don’t run over protesters. Period. Don’t attack police officers, period. Don’t throw burning torches at the prime minister’s house. Period,” Karhi said in a social media post in Hebrew.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Yair Lapid denounced the incident, holding the government under Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accountable for purportedly fostering violence and discord, Israel's i24 News reported.
Israel recently witnessed its largest anti-government demonstration. Protesters called for fresh elections and a hostage agreement with Hamas as the conflict reached its sixth month.
According to Channel 13 news estimates, approximately 45,000 individuals protested in Tel Aviv on Saturday night, while organizers asserted that 100,000 participated. In addition to Tel Aviv, thousands voiced their demand for new elections in Jerusalem, Haifa, and dozens of other cities and towns nationwide, including Caesarea, where protesters gathered outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence.
