Latest news with #OferCassif
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Police, Jerusalem Pride marchers clash as protesters call for hostages' release
A few notable Israeli politicians attended the march to show solidarity for the LGBTQ+ community. Participants in the Jerusalem Pride and Tolerance March clashed with Israel Police officers on Thursday, social media reports showed. A video of the incident, seen by The Jerusalem Post, shows people trying to break apart a protester and an officer. At the beginning of the video, a separate group of people can be seen trying to break up a separate altercation. In the video, protesters were lying on the ground and being put in handcuffs. Several people can also be seen trying to prevent crowds from forming during the supposed arrests. Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported that at least one protester in the march was arrested after they assaulted a police officer. The marchers walked from Liberty Bell Park to Independence Park and encountered some counter-protests to the march along the way. The police said in a statement that Keren Hayesod, Palomar, King George, Hillel, and Menashe Ben Israel Streets were closed due to the march, along with several connecting streets. The Israeli media outlet reported that MK Ofer Cassif (Hadash) got into a physical confrontation with the police. Some other notable Israeli politicians attended the pride march, namely President Isaac Herzog and Opposition leader Yair Lapid. "We came here to remember a beautiful Israeli girl who came to do good and was murdered here ten years ago. Her only goal was to do good and spread light in the world," Herzog said, as reported by KAN. "We need to understand a clear social consensus – there is no place for violence in any form, there is no dialogue with violence. We will not accept violence in our society. I know there is violence, and we are here to eradicate it. We demand love, respect, and equality, including for the LGBTQ+ community, which is an integral part of Israeli society, and for all groups in Israeli society who need to learn how to exchange words and spread great love." Lapid slammed the Israeli far-right and said that they were only capable of hatred. "[Itamar] Ben Gvir and [Bezalel] Smotrich will not tell us who to love. The ultra-Orthodox will not tell us who to love," he said. "The group of crazy people protesting against us not far from here will not tell us who to love. These people are experts in only one thing – hate. We do not ask people who specialize in hate who we should love."
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Netanyahu – opposition supports ‘losing the war' out of lust for power
MK Ofer Cassif removed from Knesset podium after he accused Benjamin Netanyahu of bombing children. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the opposition in the Knesset on Wednesday of being willing to 'lose the war' out of a lust for power. The prime minister said that if it was up to the opposition, Israel would have 'lost the war' while Hamas would have remained in power while still retaining some hostages in captivity, and while receiving binding guarantees from the UN Security Council that would block Israel from returning to war. However, 'most of the people are with us' and are demanding that the war continue until 'total victory,' Netanyahu said. He accused the opposition of 'defeatism' and of 'dampening the spirit' of the people. The prime minister's comments came during a fiery question and answer session with the prime minister, known as the '40 signatures debate.' Opposition leader MK Yair Lapid, who spoke after Netanyahu, said that "two and a half years ago, the citizens of Israel felt safe because they were safe. They knew that the situation was under control and that the country's leaders were focused solely on them and their well-being." Lapid listed a series of financial, diplomatic, and security parameters that he said deteriorated since the current government took office. The opposition leader criticized Netanyahu for 'losing favor' with US president Donald Trump, and claimed that Israel's allies were coming to the realization that the US's 'biggest ally' in the Middle East was no longer Israel, but Saudi Arabia. 'Our next government will not fall apart after a year and a half. We learn from mistakes. We will establish a coalition of hope here. It will set goals that every citizen will want to be a part of: security at the borders, quality education for our children, good relations with the world, an economy that works for the Israeli middle class. 'We will restore security, send home this failed government and this failed prime minister, and begin rebuilding the country we want for our children," Lapid said. Earlier in the discussion, Hadash-Ta'al MK Ofer Cassif was removed by Knesset guards from the Knesset dais on Wednesday after accusing Netanyahu of being responsible for bombing children. Knesset Speaker MK Amir Ohana, who ordered the guards to remove Cassif, ordered Lazimi to forcibly remove the next speaker as well, Democrats MK Naama Lazimi, after her speaking time ended. After the prime minister finished speaking, Democrats MK Gilad Kariv approached him with a map showing a number of locations in the Gaza border area, and called on the prime minister to visit the locations. Kariv was forcibly removed as well. Other MKs spoke during the session as well. MK Merav Cohen (Yesh Atid) demanded that the prime minister explain why he had yet to fire or denounce his aid, Yonatan Urich, who she said had admitted to providing services and receiving payments from Qatar. MK Avigdor Liberman (Yisrael Beytenu) hinted in his speech that he believed the prime minister would attempt to delay the 2026 election due to the war, but said he would not allow that to happen.
