Two protests were held in front of the Defense Ministry on Wednesday evening, one against and the other in favor of the Israel Defense Forces' Operation Summer Rains operation.
Demonstrators from the Left carried signs that read "Amir Peretz betrayed his voters" and "Amir Peretz betrayed the Left."
- On the opposing side, demonstrators in favor of the operation carried signs reading "Amir Peretz, we love you". Both sides remained calm and there was no violence between them.
Peretz praised (Photo: Niv Calderon)
Gilboa Regional Council Head Danny Atar was at the place in support of the operation.
"We came to support the defense minister and the defense establishment. We're telling them that all the people are behind them. We encourage the families of the abducted and hope that the IDF will do anything it can to release them," he said.
"We know that the defense establishment has the means to carry out any decision made. It's important that the Palestinians know that the coin has two sides, that the Qassams and their violence against the State of Israel is over now," he added.
Peretz slammed (Photo: Niv Calderon)
On the opposite side, left-wing activist Uri Avnery said that the operation puts the soldier's life at risk.
"We are demonstrating here in front of the Defense Ministry to protest against the IDF's operation in Gaza. We believe that the operation puts the life of Gilad Shalit at risk. Other operations that Israel carried out in the past ended with the killing of the hostages, like the Nachshon Waxman case in 1994," he said.
"There is much concern that this may happen again, and we oppose this gamble on the soldier's life. If the chief of staff wants to gamble he can gamble on his own son's life," Avnery added.
Gush Shalom spokesman Adam Keller added:" Negotiation is not a cliché. A cliché risks the soldier's life and a war does not save it. We are calling to stop the operation in Gaza."