The following article was published in the Israeli daily Haaretz on August 23, 2025.
It reports on an important protest that day in Tel Aviv by thousands of Palestinians and Jews, calling for an end to Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza and for stopping the spreading starvation in the Gaza Strip.
As the article shows, the Israeli police took harsh measures to minimize participation and the scope of the action — limiting the allowed size of a planned march first to 5,000 and then to 500, before banning the march altogether and allowing only a rally at Habima Square.
No such measures were taken against much larger demonstrations on August 17 in Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities called by Jewish organizations demanding a hostage deal to end the Gaza war.
As World-Outlook noted regarding the earlier actions, it was not clear from the reporting in Haaretz and other media “whether any Palestinian citizens of Israel — about 20% of the country’s population — took part in the August 17 protests along with the overwhelmingly Jewish demonstrators. On this point, it is important to keep in mind that it is far more dangerous for Palestinian citizens of Israel — who have been vigorously persecuted by Israeli authorities as second-class citizens, especially over the last two years — to engage in such public street actions.”
In fact, the same day as the Palestinian-Jewish protest in Tel Aviv, thousands of Israelis, overwhelmingly Jewish, filled Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, calling for an end to the war in Gaza with a hostage deal, and did not face the same restrictions as those who demonstrated at Habima Square. Similar actions by tens of thousands of Israelis took place across the country on August 23.
World-Outlook is publishing the article that follows for the information of our readers. The headline, subhead, photos, and text below are from the original.
— World-Outlook editors
*
‘Stop the Genocide’: Thousands of Jews and Arabs Rally in Tel Aviv Against Gaza War, Hunger
The protest, organized by the umbrella group for Arab citizens of Israel, was scaled back after police capped participation under threat of revoking approval. Demonstrators held images of starving children in Gaza, as a police officer warned: ‘What happens in the village will not happen here in Tel Aviv’
Aug 23, 2025, 5:47 pm IDT
Thousands of people protested in Tel Aviv on Saturday afternoon, calling for an end to the war and to prevent the growing hunger in the Gaza Strip.
Gathering at Habima Square, demonstrators held signs reading “Stop the genocide” and displayed photos of Palestinian children suffering from malnutrition. Chants included: “From Gaza to Jenin – stop killing children” and “We won’t die in the service of the settlements.”
At one point, a police officer warned that the sound system would be confiscated, claiming it was “set up in a way that endangers the demonstrators.” He further cautioned that “what happens in the village will not happen here in Tel Aviv.”
The protest was organized by The Higher Arab Monitoring Committee, the umbrella body representing Arab citizens in Israel, with the participation of the Arab political parties Hadash, Balad, and Ta’al. Dozens of peace organizations also joined, among them Peace Now, Breaking the Silence, Looking the Occupation in the Eye, and the Israeli-Palestinian Bereaved Families Forum.
“The demonstration in Tel Aviv is important so that Israelis living in the center know what is happening in Gaza,” committee chair Mohammad Barakeh told Haaretz. “This is part of a series of actions the Follow-Up Committee has launched and will continue to organize.”
Amir Badran, a Tel Aviv city council member, said the demonstrators had gathered to declare “no to war, no to starvation, no to destruction.” He added that they came to say “yes to peace, yes to a comprehensive deal, and yes to life.” According to him, “This evening is dedicated to hope, solidarity, and a joint Arab-Jewish struggle, because only together can we end the war and begin a path of justice and equality.”
Badran also criticized the police, saying their actions “hurt the protest and led many people to reconsider attending.”
The original plan was to hold a protest march under the slogan “Stop the war, stop the starvation,” starting at Dizengoff Square and ending at Habima Square. On Friday, however, the Tel Aviv District Police commander announced the march would not be approved, citing “too many events” requiring police security, including the weekly rallies at Hostage Square and outside the Defense Ministry.
In response, the Follow-Up Committee decided to hold only the rally planned for Habima Square, while protesting what it called “repeated attempts to restrict and suppress Arab public protest against the war.”
Earlier, on Thursday, the Tel Aviv District Police had threatened to revoke their approval for the march unless organizers agreed to cap the number of participants. Police had initially permitted up to 5,000 marchers but later sought to reduce the number to about 500. The operations officer of the Tel Aviv station justified the demand by pointing to the heavy police burden from several other demonstrations scheduled for the same day.
According to Barakeh, “The police’s claims for not approving the march are simply an attempt to silence the sane voice.”
If you appreciate this article, subscribe to World-Outlook (for free) by clicking on the link below.
Type your email in the box below and click on “SUBSCRIBE.” You will receive a notification in your in-box on which you will have to click to confirm your subscription.
Categories: Palestine/Israel