Go Ad Free

I hit the streets of Tel Aviv to see what Israeli leftists had to say about the war and their government. What I found was shocking, even for someone who has covered countless protests around the world.

One protester stunned me when I asked what should happen if the Israeli government withdrew and Hamas stayed in power. “Hamas said yes to the negotiation, Netanyahu said no,” she told me. When I pressed her on whether he actually believed Hamas, she didn’t hesitate: “Of course I believe Hamas… I believe Hamas more than I believe my prime minister. Yes, no doubt. You can quote me.”

🔴 LIVE NOW: Weekly Protest in Israel Demanding End to Gaza War — https://t.co/MoqQa5Aa2a https://t.co/palxsOk6tW

— Avi Yemini (@OzraeliAvi) September 20, 2025

That kind of thinking is beyond me. I reminded them that only in Israel can people stand in the heart of Tel Aviv and publicly say such things without fear. “That’s what I love about Israel,” I told them. “It’s a real, robust democracy.”

🔴 LIVE: Protest Erupts Outside Netanyahu’s Residence in Jerusalem — https://t.co/MoqQa5Aa2a https://t.co/fSXdfFLghv

— Avi Yemini (@OzraeliAvi) September 18, 2025

But the protesters weren’t buying it. One snapped back, “Free for the Jews. It’s an apartheid state.” I pointed out that 20% of Israel’s population is Arab and many I’d spoken to preferred living under Israel than any neighbouring Arab regime. The pair even accused Israel of genocide and claiming, “How can we be the best country in the Middle East when we kill 70,000 people?”

🚨 EXPOSED: The TRUTH about Gaza humanitarian aid they DON’T want you to see

I witnessed mountains of food waiting to be delivered ... Yet the UN and other international groups are refusing to pick it up.

🇮🇱 MORE: https://t.co/MoqQa5zCcC pic.twitter.com/8ROhdjOZ9T

— Avi Yemini (@OzraeliAvi) September 18, 2025

Their arguments went in circles ... history, displacement and decades of conflict. I reminded them October 7 wasn’t the start, recalling terrorist attacks against Jews as far back as 1920. History is messy, but hearing Israelis say they trust a terrorist organisation more than their own elected leader? That’s something I’ll never understand.