Israelis took to the streets of Tel Aviv on Thursday night demanding an immediate end to the US-Israeli war on Iran, with protesters accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of prolonging conflict across Gaza, Lebanon and now Iran purely to stay in power. Crowds chanted, carried ceasefire banners and held silent vigils displaying photographs of children killed across the region. One protester told Reuters that millions of Israelis are currently sheltering from Iranian missile strikes with no clarity on the war's goals, its timeline or what victory even looks like. The demonstration was organised by the Women's Protest movement, which has been at the forefront of anti-government activism in Israel for over two years. Protesters wore masks of Netanyahu and far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir as speakers accused the prime minister of sacrificing Israeli lives and regional stability to protect his own political survival. At least 15 Israelis have been killed since the US and Israel launched their military campaign against Iran at the end of February, with Iran continuing to fire daily missiles at Israeli territory. The protest signals a deepening fracture within Israeli society over a war that shows no signs of ending. As Netanyahu publicly declared this week that Iran can no longer enrich uranium or build ballistic missiles, his own citizens are asking a question his government has yet to answer — what exactly are we fighting for, and when does it stop.
