‘30,000 protesters, day and night’ – former PM calls for mass protests to oust Netanyahu

Ehud Barak urges protesters to gather in front of Knesset for weeks on end, to force Netanyahu from power and trigger early elections.

By World Israel News Staff

Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak called for tens of thousands of Israelis to protest “day and night” in front of the Knesset, in order to force Benjamin Netanyahu out of office and trigger new elections.

Barak, a longtime political enemy of Netanyahu, is an ardent opponent of the judicial reform legislation and has repeatedly encouraged mass civil disobedience in order to oust the current premier.

“We need 30,000 citizens circling the Knesset in tents for three weeks, day and night,” Barak told Army Radio on Sunday morning.

“When Netanyahu understands there is no public confidence in him, that three out of four Israelis are calling for him to resign… when the state is shut down – Netanyahu will realize his time is up,” he added.

He asserted that Netanyahu was sabotaging ongoing negotiations for the release of Israeli captives in an act of capitulation to his right-wing coalition partners.

“It’s more important to Netanyahu to look strong than to get a deal; he’s willing to risk the hostages’ lives,” Barak said, without providing evidence for that claim.

Barak was a close associate of Jeffrey Epstein, and has not been transparent about his financial ties to the disgraced financier.

He also admitted to visiting Epstein’s home and private Caribbean island on multiple occasions, including after Epstein was convicted of soliciting a minor for prostitution in 2008, though he has denied witnessing any sexual abuse.

The Daily Mail newspaper photographed Barak visiting Epstein’s New York home in 2013, several years after his conviction, while wrapping a scarf around his face in a manner which suggested he was attempting to hide his identity.

In a 2016 deposition, Virgina Roberts Guiffre said she was introduced to Barak as a teen and that he had sexually abused her.

Responding to the allegation in Israel Hayom, Barak said he “does not comment on imaginary rumors or false affidavits.”