Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday dismissed the idea of holding early elections, while thousands of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv for an anti-government protest.
Netanyahu has seen his popularity plummet in opinion polls since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack that sparked the devastating war in Gaza.
Anti-government protests that shook the country for much of 2023 have largely subsided during the war. Still, demonstrators again took to the streets of Tel Aviv Saturday night calling for new elections, which are not scheduled until 2026.
The crowd was much smaller than last years' mass protests, numbering a few thousand, according to local media.
"I'd like to say to the government that you've had your time, you ruined everything that you can ruin. Now is the time for the people to correct all the things, all the bad things that you've done," said one protestor, his head wrapped in an Israeli flag.
Netanyahu was asked at a press briefing about calls within his own ruling Likud party to hold early elections right when the Gaza war ends.
"The last thing we need right now are elections and dealing with elections, since it will immediately divide us," he said. "We need unity right now."
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Featured Video Of The Day
Benjamin Netanyahu Announces "Updated War Goals" Against, Hamas, Hezbollah Why Netanyahu Chooses War Over Peace Israel Will Not Leave Gaza Border Corridor Until...: Netanyahu AAP Asks Its Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal To Quit Over Atishi Remarks LIVE: Arvind Kejriwal Resigns, Atishi To Be Delhi Chief Minister "Your Duty...": Chief Justice On Bengal's 'No Night Shift For Women' Note Are Your Periods Late? Here Are The Most Common Reasons Behind It JGGLCCE Admit Card 2024 To Be Released Soon, Check Steps To Download Giorgia Meloni's Far-Right Ally Raffaele Fitto Gets Top European Union Role Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.