Extract from ABC News
Analysis
Benjamin Netanyahu pleaded with Israelis as mass protests devolved into violent clashes. (Reuters: Ohad Zwigenberg/Pool)
Benjamin Netanyahu has built a proud reputation of being known as Mr Security, but now there's a new moniker that's being attached to him — Mr Death.
The phrase has been screamed and shouted across Israel this past week at some of the largest anti-government protests in the country's history.
Hundreds of thousands of angry demonstrators who swarmed the streets hurled an unending stream of disdain towards their prime minister.
They criticised his leadership, the government's handling of the Gaza war and the failure to rescue hostages, with a ceasefire deal or otherwise.
"He is Mr Death. And the people around him are his cabinet of death," one protester told the ABC.
"He's abandoned the hostages in Gaza and left them to die," another screamed.
"Hamas might pull the trigger, but the people of our government, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, are the murderers," cried another.
Demonstrator are angry at Benjamin Netanyahu and have lost faith in his leadership. (Reuters: Florion Goga)
The watershed moment was sparked after the bodies of six hostages were recovered from Gaza, including that of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, the American-Israeli who'd become the face of a global hostage release campaign.
The Israeli military said the group had been executed by Hamas militants about 48 hours before being found.
Israelis exploded in desperation, grief and anger at the news.
There was a feeling of disbelief that six hostages, who were alive and could have been returned to their families, had instead been brought back in body bags because a hostage-release deal hadn't been made.
And they blamed one man above others for securing the deadly fate of the hostages: their prime minister.
'Murderer', 'abandoner', 'coward'
On Sunday evening, nearly one in five Israelis rebelled in protests and rallies across the country.
That's the equivalent of more than 5 million Australians taking to the streets simultaneously in anti-government demonstrations.
Israelis are placing the blame on Benjamin Netanyahu for the deaths of hostages. (Reuters: Ronen Zvulun)
People had already been demonstrating in Tel Aviv every week, calling for a ceasefire deal.
But the protests now swelled across the country, in staggering numbers — and continued day after day.
It was also bolstered by a worker strike led by Israel's biggest labour union, made up of about 800,000 workers — posing a massive financial hit to the country — before the courts ordered a government-requested injunction for them to stop.
Placards with the words "murderer", "abandoner" and "coward" were waved in the air, as people cried and pleaded for their leader to make a hostage release deal with Hamas — even if it meant making concessions he claimed were crucial.
They accused Netanyahu of repeatedly torpedoing attempts to reach a deal for his own political survival and for the sake of continuing the war in Gaza.
Only small pockets of the masses were also protesting about the more than 40,000 Palestinians killed inside Gaza, which has been largely decimated — but that doesn't mean the rest want the war to continue.
And as the protests descended into clashes with police, Netanyahu stepped up to make an incredibly rare public address and press conference.
Protesters clashed with police members at the protests. (Reuters: Ronen Zvulun)
He made an impassioned plea for unity and tried to convince his opponents that his decisions were for the good of the country.
He claimed it was crucial that Israeli troops remained indefinitely along Gaza's border with Egypt, which it calls the Philadelphi Corridor — a condition that Hamas has never and would never agree to in a deal.
"The axis of evil needs the Philadelphi Corridor, and for that reason, we must control the Philadelphi Corridor," he said.
He argued it was the only way to get hostages out of Gaza, and that it's Hamas that is blocking any agreement.
Netanyahu apologises to hostage families, vows to continue Gaza war.
Hamas is urging mediators to force Israel to take a July deal it had already agreed to and accuses Israel of continuing to make new unacceptable demands.
Both sides are unwilling to make concessions on key demands.
But Netanyahu's opponents saw his message to the nation as another attempt at division: it's either the hostages or the security of Israel.
They blasted Netanyahu's comments as hollow spin.
Eli Elbag, the father of one of 100-odd hostages still held in Gaza, told Hebrew media that Mr Netanyahu would leave a legacy of having only cemeteries named after him.
"Who is he bullshiting," he questioned.
"He can't bullshit citizens here.
"Stop, it's over. It's not possible to bullshit us."
Protesters say they cannot be lied to anymore. (Reuters: Florion Goga)
Numerous recent polls have put support for a hostage release deal — even if it means ending the war — at about 60 per cent among Israeli society.
There have been numerous public testimonies from leaders of the Israeli defence establishment, seemingly stacked against the prime minister.
The minister of defence, the commander of Israel's armed forces and the head of the secret service have all said that Israel could leave the Philadelphi Corridor temporarily, in the interests of making a hostage deal, and that nothing would prevent them from going back.
Even United States President Joe Biden said he didn't think the Israeli leader was doing enough to secure a deal.
Thousands are urging Benjamin Netanyahu to secure a ceasefire deal that returns hostages. (Reuters: Florion Goga)
But despite the enormity of the pressure being piled onto Netanyahu, the political mastermind knows his position in power is safe — for now.
In Israel's highly fractured political system, the only thing that can realistically bring about Netanyahu's immediate political demise would be losing the support of the extreme-right-wing members of his coalition.
Several of the ultra-nationalists have previously threatened to walk and topple the government should a hostage release or ceasefire deal be made.
Currently, those fate-holding politicians want the war to continue as they see their dreams of an Israeli takeover of Gaza play out day after day.
And his voter base — the people who back Netanyahu in — is still strong, according to Israeli polling.
His favourability had plummeted after October 7 and he was declared a "dead man walking", but a few months later the numbers had bounced back.
But this is not to say that Benjamin Netanyahu isn't being affected by the sweeping protests against him.
Benjamin Netanyahu explained his plan during a press conference for the international media on September 4. (Reuters: Abir Sultan/Pool)
In the last week, he has given two public press conferences open to foreign media — which had been unheard-of during the past 11 months of this war.
That in itself shows the pressure he's feeling to justify his decisions.
But as more hostages are expected to die, and a 2026 election edges closer, the prime minister will feel the sting of the public's backlash more acutely.
And if more and more people join this protest movement, there will almost certainly be continuing chaos on the streets — which could include national disruptions and economic pain.
And while they say they're not convinced they'll make him change his mind, they are steadfast that they won't stop trying.
This will force Netanyahu to spend more time, and effort, defending his stance both locally and abroad.
But in the end, he is the only one who gets to decide on deal or no deal with Hamas: Many feel it's the choice to bring the hostages back alive or dead.
The protests are some of the biggest Israel has ever seen. (Reuters: Or Hadar)
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