Protests at Balfour for the last time before new government is formed

About one thousand protesters marched towards Balfour Street and the Prime Minister’s Official Residence on Saturday evening for the last protest before the new government is expected to be sworn in Sunday.

Black Flag protesters reportedly filed a police complaint after several people in a car gestured at them with what appeared to be a gun, as seen in a video shared by N12.

Several streets in central Jerusalem were closed ahead of the evening’s protests, including Agron Street and Keren Hayesod.

Prime Minister-designate Naftali Bennett requested restraint from the Balfour protesters, saying “this is not the time for demonstrations and provocations. I call for Netanyahu and his family to be treated with respect.”

Meretz MK Yair Golan tweeted his support of the protesters, telling them that he has been “proud to stand by [their] side” and that they are “proof that perseverance, determination and Zionism win.”

As well as the main protest in Jerusalem, protesters gathered across the country.

Several attendees noted the triumphant tone of the protests in contrast to the more somber ones in the past, such as the “silent vigil” held after the Mount Meron tragedy.

One twitter user shared a video of the event and said that “never before have there been so many smiles at the Balfour protest.”

Former defense minister Moshe (Boogie) Ya’alon arrived at Balfour and addressed the crowd from the podium.

“Friends, you did it. You did this when you were attacked as traitors, anarchists and disease spreaders. You did so even when the mainstream media ignored the protests,” he said. “If the government is replaced tomorrow, I can say that this is the longest hostage rescue operation I have participated in. The protest movement has become the main tool for saving Israeli democracy and the future of the State of Israel, you are the pillar of fire before the camp.”

Protests are also expected outside Bennett’s Ra’anana residence as demonstrators have been arriving nightly for the past few weeks in an attempt to persuade him to prevent the formation of the unity government.