WEST BANK (Dispatches) – Thousands of demonstrators returned to the streets of al-Quds calling for the resignation of Zionist prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu over corruption and mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Protesters were seen clashing with police late into the night on Saturday and early on Sunday outside the residence of the embattled prime minister.
Images from news agencies and social media showed several demonstrators being dragged by police as anti-Netanyahu protests continued for the eighth week.
According to reports, some of the protesters had also attempted to march toward the residence of Zionist president Reuven Rivlin but were prevented by police.
Haaretz newspaper estimated that as many as 50,000 people protested across the occupied territories.
Netanyahu has dismissed the demonstrators as "leftists” and "anarchists” and accused local media of strengthening the protests by giving them heavy coverage.
The Zionist prime minister was sworn in for a fifth term in May after clinching a coalition deal four months ago with centrist Benny Gantz, his main rival in three inconclusive elections since April 2019.
Netanyahu, who heads the right-wing Likud party, has often complained of press bias against him, and some of the charges he faces in a corruption trial related to alleged attempts to seek favorable coverage from media barons in return for favors.
The prime minister has denied wrongdoing in the three corruption cases against him.
He also faces criticism for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which has infected over 92,000 people and killed over 670 others.