Israelis block major roads in Tel Aviv, call for prisoner exchange

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
16 Jun 2024 10:58

Israeli protesters have blocked several major roads linking the occupied territories in preparation of week-long scheduled demonstrations.

Listen

Israeli demonstrators hold signs and pictures of Israeli captives near a fire during a protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, and call for a prisoner exchange deal with the Palestinian Resistance, in Tel Aviv, occupied Palestine, on June 15, 2024. (AP)

In Israeli-occupied '48 territories, anti-government Israeli protesters blocked a number of major highways in Tel Aviv and other settlements and occupied cities.

Israeli settlers blocked the Route 1 highway, which links Tel Aviv to occupied al-Quds, and the Route 4 highway heading South from Ra'anana, which links the entire occupied Palestinian coast through Tel Aviv.

Protesters also blocked the Ayalon Highway or Route 20 Highway in northern Tel Aviv. The road is an inter-city freeway that links Tel Aviv and its suburbs.

According to Israeli media reports, the Kfar Tavor, Gazit, Yavor, Einat, and Nahalim interchanges are also blocked by demonstrators.

Israeli protesters have organized week-long protests in major cities, calling for early elections and the completion of a prisoner exchange deal with the Palestinian Resistance.

Spurred by the Israeli government's inability to secure the release of dozens of captives held in the Gaza Strip and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's poor performance on a number of issues, major protests are expected to rebirth in the occupied territories.

The recent vote by the Israeli coalition government to apply the "continuity" of a bill from the previous Knesset, the Israeli legislative body, has also enflamed Israeli settlers. The bill lowers the age of exemption from mandatory service for ultra-Orthodox Haredi Jews, who study religious texts.

A large portion of settlers have not opted to pursue religious studies and view the bill as discriminatory, as it allows the Haredim to escape military service. The war on Gaza and confrontations on the Northern Front have further enraged non-ultra-Orthodox Israelis, who find it necessary that everyone should serve in the military, especially during times of war.

Moreover, the Israeli occupation forces have asked for thousands of conscripts to sign up for military service, which is likely to include a disproportionate amount of non-ultra-Orthodox Israelis.

The issue has not only angered settlers but has also been a huge focus for top Israeli officials and politicians, such as Security Minister Yoav Gallant and the opposition party leaders Benny Gantz and Gadi Eizenkot. The latter two quit the war cabinet over the issue, among other disputes that have entrenched the rift in Israeli politics.