These Protests Are Not a Military Coup in Israel

Misbar investigated the footage and found the claim to be misleading.

Protests After Netanyahu Fired the Israeli Defense Minister

Misbar’s team conducted a thorough reverse image search and found that the video is from a recent protest in Israel.

The journalist at Haaretz newspaper shared this video on X platform on 5 of November, saying that “Police officers in Ayalon South move in a large group to put out fires with fire extinguishers, hundreds of protesters behind them. One of the demonstrators confronted one of the police officers who wore a face covering contrary to the procedures in demonstrations.”

Live Map website, which documented the Israeli war on Gaza, published the video and stated that: “Police officers in Ayalon South move in a large group to put out fires with fire extinguishers.”

Why Did Netanyahu Fire Yoav Gallant?

On November 5, following months of disagreements over Israeli war efforts and domestic politics, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired the former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. 

According to Netanyahu, the decision was the result of a "crisis of trust" between the two leaders. He also said that his trust in Gallant had eroded in recent months and that Israel Katz, the foreign minister, would replace Gallant. 

The incumbent foreign minister, Israel Katz, will take over as defense minister. The prime minister's office announced on Tuesday that Gideon Sa'ar will take Katz's post as foreign minister.

Shortly after the announcement, Gallant posted on X in response to the decision, saying that "security of Israel has been and will always be my lifelong mission." He said in a broadcast address that his dismissal stemmed from a disagreement over three issues: the need for a formal investigation into Hamas' October 7 attack, the issue of ultra-Orthodox military service, and abandoning the captives in Gaza. 

Following this declaration, demonstrators in Tel Aviv's Ayalon highway obstructed traffic and started fires in protest of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant's dismissal amid the conflict. 
Families of the hostages and anti-government organizations are among those demanding protests, accusing Netanyahu of playing politics and putting their loved ones in jeopardy.

The two men's relationship was frequently acrimonious and infrequently friendly. Gallant's relationship with Netanyahu soured in March 2023 when the prime minister threatened to dismiss him for opposing the government's judicial reform bill. 
However, he was compelled to revoke the dismissal after widespread public outcry in several Israeli cities, which came to be known as the "Gallant Night." 

Netanyahu said he would fire the defense minister, due to political disagreements months before the war in Gaza began in October 2023, but he was later reinstated after a significant public uproar.

Gallant and Netanyahu have frequently clashed over the Gaza War. According to Israeli media, Gallant called Netanyahu's objective of "absolute victory" in Gaza "nonsense" when he addressed a closed-door Knesset committee in August. Then, in an unprecedented move, Netanyahu issued a press release charging Gallant with embracing an "anti-Israel narrative."
Gallant was also quite critical of Netanyahu's focus on securing control of the Philadelphi Corridor, which is the border between Gaza and Egypt.

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