In 25th week of rallies, protest group vows to lay ‘siege’ to Netanyahu residence

In the 25th consecutive week of protest rallies held in Israel against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a protest group called “Crime Minister” has vowed to lay “siege” to the premier’s residence until he leaves power. The protesters rallied across the occupied territories on Saturday evening, the 25th straight week of mass demonstrations against Netanyahu over his indictment on graft charges and handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Around two thousand protesters gathered outside Netanyahu’s residence in the occupied Jerusalem al-Quds and several hundred attended rallies in the coastal city of Caesaria, where Netanyahu’s private home is located. The protest group Crime Minister promised to hold a “siege” at Netanyahu’s residence, after 27 demonstrators were arrested at last week’s demonstration for attempting to block the entrances and exits to the home. “We’ll shut him in until he goes,” the organization said in a statement, according to Israeli media. The Zionist regime’s police says it has arrested four in Haifa protests and two in Jerusalem al-Quds. Last week, an 82-year-old protester was “accidentally” killed by a car during protest rallies against Netanyahu.   Weekly protests against Netanyahu and his cabinet have been held at intersections around the occupied territories for months. Protesters demand their resignation over his corruption trials and his failure to combat novel coronavirus. Netanyahu, who is on trial for bribery, fraud and breach of trust, insists that authorities are “distorting justice” to force him out of office. In September, in a move that critics said was an attempt to distract attentions from his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, Netanyahu called for an “independent inquiry” into the investigators who brought corruption charges against him. Netanyahu, whose corruption trial began in May and is set to resume in January, was sworn in for a fifth term this summer after striking a unity deal with his principal election rival, former military chief Benny Gantz.