But his opponents accuse him of using the health crisis as a pretext to put a halt to weeks of demonstrations against him. ADADFor over three months, thousands of people have thronged the streets of central Jerusalem near Netanyahu’s residence, calling on him to step down. Many of the protesters are young, educated Israelis who have lost their jobs because of an economic downturn. Protesters at Saturday night’s gathering were noisy but orderly, with many standing in marked spots to conform with social distancing rules. Netanyahu’s rival and governing partner, Benny Gantz, has rejected the call for a state of emergency.

Source: Washington Post September 26, 2020 18:56 UTC