Thousands of Israeli protesters demand Netanyahu's removal

March 31 (UPI) -- Protests erupted across Israel over the weekend with tens of thousands of Israelis calling for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's removal.

Demonstrators on Saturday rallied in front of the Israel Defense Force headquarters in Tel Aviv in the biggest protest against Netanyahu since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.

Saturday protests also happened in Jerusalem, Haifa, Be'er Sheva, Caesarea and other cities, with one outside of the Knesset in Jerusalem on Sunday.

Police on Saturday met protesters with water cannons and arrested 16 people.

The demonstrations were motivated partly by families of Hamas hostages who said they believe Netanyahu is prioritizing his political survival over putting a swift end to Hamas.

Shira Albag, the mother of one of the hostages, told the Guardian, "the people of Israel won't forget or forgive anyone who prevents a deal that would bring them [the hostages] back to us.

"After 176 days, 4,224 hours, the excuses have run out."

Netanyahu has sparred with members of the Israeli war cabinet and his own party over his handling of hostage negotiations. While advisers urged more flexibility to get a deal across, Netanyahu has rejected the proposals as being too soft on Hamas.

Many protestors also were there to speak out against Netanyahu's attempt to bypass the Israeli High Court's decision Thursday to freeze funding to ultra-Orthodox Haredi Jewish schools, effectively making students eligible for the draft.

Netanyahu has sought to extend the deadline of Haredi exemption, which the government passed in June 2023 while it deliberates on new draft legislation.

Haredis have historically, and controversially, been exempt from military service, which is mandatory for most other Israeli citizens once they turn 18.

Scores of IDF reservists on Sunday staged a protest in the Haredi neighborhood of Mea Shearim calling for their conscription and chanting "I believe, I believe, I believe in enlisting in the military."

Protests against Netanyahu's administration have risen in intensity since Oct. 7, but the government was highly unpopular even before the war.

He has drawn criticism for his previous attempt to undermine the independence of the judiciary, as well as allegations of corruption and bribery.