Netanyahu says opposition fuelling ‘anarchy’ with protests
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused the opposition of fuelling “anarchy” in Israel after mass antigovernment protests in recent days.
Addressing the opposition during a speech in parliament, Netanyahu said: “You recycle the same worn-out and ridiculous slogans about ‘the end of democracy’. Well, once and for all: Democracy is not in danger, it is the power of the bureaucrats that is in danger.”
“Perhaps you could stop putting spanners in the works of the government in the middle of a war. Perhaps you could stop fuelling the sedition, hatred and anarchy in the streets,” he added.
Thousands of Israelis have taken part in several days of antigovernment protests, accusing Netanyahu of undermining democracy and resuming attacks in Gaza without regard for captives held there.
The demonstrations which erupted last week have been organised by a broad coalition of anti-Netanyahu groups, who called for protests against the premier’s move to remove Ronen Bar, the head of the Shin Bet internal security agency.
Israel’s opposition filed an appeal against the move to dismiss Bar, calling it “a decision based on flagrant conflict of interest”.
Whether Israel is still a democracy or ever really was is debatable. "Having served for more than 17 years, Netanyahu is the longest-serving prime minister in the history of Israel" He keeps finding loopholes (like extending a pointless multi front war) to stay in power / get re-elected, and had been trying to dismantle the judicial process for years.
March 2023 https://www.npr.org/2023/03/27/1166200532/israel-civil-war-netanyahu-court-control
Today https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/science/2025-03-25/ty-article-magazine/tracking-the-legislative-blitz-where-does-netanyahus-judicial-overhaul-stand/00000195-ccf0-da24-affd-fff46fd80001
Lebanon opposes normalisation with Israel, plans to displace Palestinians
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has said normalisation with Israel is rejected by all Lebanese, who also strongly oppose any plans to displace Palestinians from Gaza and the occupied West Bank, according to the National News Agency (NNA).
Speaking at the Grand Serail, Salam stressed the importance of mobilising Arab and international support for the reconstruction of Gaza, the report said. He said that a meeting with French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian focused on reconstruction efforts.
Salam also said that the international community and Arab nations had not exerted all possible pressure on Israel to halt its attacks.
Lebanese army blocks roads paved by Israeli forces amid persistent ceasefire ‘violations’
The Lebanese army said it has used mounds of earth to block two roads paved by Israeli forces during an incursion in the Labbouneh area of Tyre in southern Lebanon, amid what it says are Israel’s “persistent violations” of the ceasefire agreement and the country’s sovereignty.
In a statement on X, the Lebanese army also said it has removed barbed wire that Israeli forces had installed in the southern town of Aitaroun, Bint Jbeil.
A fragile ceasefire had been in place in Lebanon since November, ending months of cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah, which escalated into a full-scale conflict in September.
Lebanese authorities have reported more than 1,250 Israeli violations of the ceasefire, including the deaths of 100 people and injuries to more than 330.
Under the ceasefire deal, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by January 26, but the deadline was extended to February 18 after it refused to comply. It still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.
