Jerusalem: 20 arrested, 1 killed as protests demanding Netanyahu's resignation intensifies

More than a dozen people have been detained and one has died while protesting against the Benjamin Netanyahu-led government in Israel. The arrests were made in the country capital Jerusalem, where thousands of people coalesced asking Netanyahu to step down over corruption charges. The demonstrators gathered outside the leader’s official residence in the western part of the town, blocking roads and “causing unrest”.

Initially, Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld, said that only five people were arrested, but later the number was updated to 20, ANI reported. According to the police, the demonstrator who died was 82 years old and was hit by a car during the demonstration. He passed away at a hospital in Kiryat Ono in Tel Aviv district where he was admitted.

"The driver who knocked down the man remained at the scene. There is no suspicion that the incident was intentional," the police spokesperson was quoted by Sputnik.

Thousands of protestors have taken to streets to demand Benjamin Netanyahu's resignation accusing him of corruption and mismanagement in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Netanyahu, who has denied any wrongdoing faces legal trial in January for bribery, breach of trust and fraud. Meanwhile, coronavirus has worsened with caseload surging to 343,600 since the pandemic struck. 

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Netanyahu convicted for corruption

Netanyahu is already under trial for corruption charges. The Israeli leader’s trial formally opened in May 2019 at a Jerusalem district court where he denied the bribery, fraud and breach of trust charges against him.  

As per reports, the trials have been postponed till January next year with witnesses being heard three times a week. Netanyahu, who is accused of bribing media and favouring business tycoons, is the first-ever Israeli Prime Minister to go under trial while serving a term. in recent weeks, public outrage against him has intensified, fuelled by his bad handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Image: AP