Old photo of Kaplan protesters wrongly linked to Netanyahu’s recent speech

Accounts on “X” published a photo of demonstrators carrying the flag of Israel around a bonfire, with the following claim: “Settlers’ angary in Jerusalem after Netanyahu’s speech” indicating that the photo is recent. 

Kashif verified the image via “Google Images” and found that it is old and incorrectly linked to Netanyahu’s speech. On 30 March 2024, Israel Hayom website published the image in a report with the following title: “Night of the protests: 16 people were arrested in Tel Aviv, Ayalon lanes were opened to traffic; hundreds of demonstrators in front of the prime minister’s residence,” and the image was accompanied by the following description: “Protesters set fires in Kaplan”.

The report stated that on 30 March 2024, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Tel Aviv to demand the release of all Israeli prisoners in Gaza, as they gathered in front of Israeli Prime Minister’s house. The protests resulted in the arrest of 16 people on charges of disrupting traffic and blocking roads.

The occupying state witnessed a general strike on 2 September 2024, which began at 6:00 a.m. and continued until 2:30 p.m., after the announcement of the Histadrut Labor Union. Although the strike was scheduled to continue until the evening, the Labor Court in Israel decided to shorten its duration based on petitions stating that it was illegal for political reasons. At the same time, mass demonstrations erupted in 15 areas, demanding a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas.

The political reactions in Israel differed regarding the statements made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which he made on Monday, 2 September 2024, in which he submitted a request “to pardon the families of the six hostages whose bodies were recently recovered from Gaza”. Netanyahu also promised that Hamas would pay a “heavy price,” and stressed the importance of Israel’s control over the Philadelphi Corridor, which connects Gaza to Egypt, considering it “the oxygen and arms pipeline for Hamas”. He also acknowledged the existence of disagreements within his government regarding the decision to establish an Israeli military presence in this corridor.