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Anti-government protesters have become a ‘branch of Hamas,’ says Israeli lawmaker

Netanyahu ally excoriates protesters demanding early elections and an immediate deal with Hamas.

By World Israel News Staff

An Israeli lawmaker took aim at anti-government protesters Tuesday, comparing demonstrators demanding the dissolution of the Knesset and snap elections to Hamas terrorists.

MK Nissim Vaturi, Deputy Speaker of the Knesset and a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling Likud party, castigated the organizers of recent protests calling for an immediate deal with Hamas for the return of all the remaining hostages in Gaza – a demand critics says has strengthened the terror group’s position in talks with Israel.

Speaking with the ultra-Orthodox radio station Kol Barama on Tuesday, Vaturi called anti-government activists a “branch” of the Hamas terror organization.

“There are a few branches of Hamas — the fighting branch of wicked terrorists who murder children, and the branch of the protests,” Vaturi said. “The protests are strengthening Hamas.”

The protests, which originated in the previous Netanyahu government, were rebooted after Netanyahu’s return to power in late 2022, focusing on his coalition’s plans to reform the judiciary.

After the Hamas invasion of October 7th, however, the protests shifted yet again, with recent demonstrations demanding a deal securing the release of all Israeli hostages, the dissolution of the government and snap elections, and the mass drafting of ultra-Orthodox men into the IDF.

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Vaturi acknowledged that some of the protests pressuring the Israeli government included relatives of hostages still held in Gaza, but suggested that most of the hostages’ relatives understand the difficulty of Israel’s position.

“You know, there are some families who make less of a fuss, and not necessarily those on the right. They’re practical and come to us demanding answers.”

“I’ll give you a scoop,” Vaturi continued, “the hostage families that I met with, and coincidentally it happened, I’m not saying that, you know, but they came home. It’s not always those who shout and scream who will bring their child home,” he said.