The protest route was altered at the last minute after police withheld approval, objecting to the call for a Palestinian state and the display of Palestinian flags. Authorities, including the mayor of Haifa, cited concerns that such elements could provoke tensions and disturb public order
MK Ayman Odeh, chairman of the Hadash-Ta'al party, addressed a crowd of roughly 2,000 demonstrators at an anti-war protest in Haifa on Saturday night, saying that "after more than 600 days, there's now a majority among both peoples who say, 'I wish these days had never come.'"
Calling the ongoing war in Gaza a failure of right-wing ideology, Odeh added, "This is a historic defeat of the right. It was vanquished in Gaza. Gaza has won and Gaza will win."
During the demonstration, protesters also called for the establishment of a Palestinian state.
In his address, Odeh invited pro-hostage deal and anti-government protesters to unite with the peace movement. "Power to the demonstrators in Kaplan [referencing the Tel Aviv street that hosts weekly anti-government protests], but you need to see the main issue," he said.
