Tens of thousands protest across occupied territories against Israel's 'Crime Minister' for 9th week

News Network
March 5, 2023

rally.jpg

Tens of thousands of protesters have held massive rallies for the ninth straight week across the occupied territories against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's so-called judicial reforms that seek to hobble the occupying regime's Supreme Court.

The rallies were held on Saturday in the coastal city of Tel Aviv, the occupied city of al-Quds, and the city of Karmiel, near the coastal city of Haifa, in the northern part of the occupied territories.

In addition, about 12,000 people demonstrated in Netanya, while more than 10,000 demonstrated in Herzliya, 3,000 in Beersheba, and thousands in several other areas.

In Tel Aviv, the protesters held up a large banner that read "Crime Minister" in reference to Netanyahu, with participants shouting "Shame!"

They also waved banners, some of which read, "Oh police, where were when they [Israeli settlers] burned Huwara?" in reference to the terrorist pogrom against Palestinians by Israeli settlers last week in the town of Huwara, south of the occupied West Bank city of Nablus.

Demonstrators also held a banner bearing the images of two hard-line minsters of the regime and behind it a picture of the town of Huwara burning following the settlers' attack. 

Scuffles broke out in Tel Aviv at the end of the mass protest against Netanyahu’s proposed plan, when a group of protesters breached barricades and clashed with the regime’s security forces, blocking a Tel Aviv highway for a short while.

Israeli security forces on horseback confronted the demonstrators, some of whom lit up a torch, and used water cannons to hold them back.

Four people were detained in Tel Aviv protest.

Israeli media have put the number of demonstrators in various cities across the occupied territories at more than 200,000, adding that around 160,000 took part in Tel Aviv protest alone.

In Haifa, the number of demonstrators was significantly higher than previous weeks. They demanded Netanyahu step down. The protesters also waved banners with slogans written in Hebrew, English and Arabic, including: "Palestinian lives matter," "A people occupying another people cannot be free,” and “It is time to overthrow the dictator.” 

Netanyahu returned to power as the regime's prime minister in late December, heading a coalition of far-right and extremist parties.

To buy the loyalty of those parties, he has vowed to bring about major changes across the regime's judicial system. His proposed changes seek to take away the Supreme Court's ability to override decisions made by Netanyahu's extremist cabinet and the Knesset.

The so-called reforms have already received first-reading endorsement from the Knesset.

Observers say the reforms can potentially enable the Knesset to annul a set of corruption charges that Netanyahu is being tried on. The prime minister is being sued for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. 

The reforms would also empower the Knesset to amend the so-called Basic Laws -- the regime's quasi-constitution -- in any way it sees fit.

Proponents, however, allege that the changes are required to limit the court's ability to interfere in politics.

The anti-Netanyahu marches have attracted huge crowds on a weekly basis since early January, when he introduced his plan.

Similar protests were also held on Wednesday in which demonstrators denounced the planned reforms.

Dramatic footage recorded during the "day of disruption" rallies showed protesters scuffling with the police, who deployed stun grenades and water cannons to rein them in.

Around 39 people were arrested during the Wednesday protest in Tel Aviv and 11 were injured.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
January 31,2026

files.jpg

A fresh cache of files related to the investigation into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein contains documents that reference President Donald Trump and other high-profile figures including Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and British billionaire Richard Branson.

Here are key details about mentions of the celebrities, none of whom have been accused of wrongdoing:

Donald Trump

The files included an FBI-compiled list of sexual assault allegations related to President Donald Trump -- many of them involving anonymous callers and unverified tips.

The allegations -- some secondhand -- were sent to the FBI's National Threat Operations Center which receives information by phone and electronically.

The document suggests that investigators followed up on a number of the tips. Some were deemed to lack credibility.

Trump has long denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein.

In a statement accompanying Friday's file dump, the Justice Department said: "Some of the documents contain untrue and sensationalist claims against President Trump that were submitted to the FBI right before the 2020 election. To be clear, the claims are unfounded and false."

Bill Gates

In a draft email among the documents, Epstein alleged Gates had engaged in extramarital affairs.

In the mail, Epstein wrote that his relationship with Gates had ranged from "helping Bill to get drugs, in order to deal with consequences of sex with russian girls, to facilitating his illicit trysts, with married women."

Richard Branson

Files show friendly relations between the two billionaires.

In an email sent to Epstein on Sept 11, 2013, Branson wrote "It was really nice seeing you yesterday. The boys in Watersports can't stop speaking about it! Any time you're in the area would love to see you. As long as you bring your harem!"

Elon Musk

The files contain numerous mail exchanges between Epstein and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk.

In November 2012, Epstein sent Musk an email asking "how many people will you be for the heli to island."

"Probably just Talulah and me. What day/night will be the wildest party on your island?" Musk replied.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor

The disgraced former prince invited Epstein to visit him at Buckingham Palace in September 2010 while the financier was making a trip to London.

An email exchange shows Epstein contacting Andrew to ask: "What time would you like me... we will also need... private time."

Andrew replied: "we could have dinner at Buckingham Palace and lots of privacy."

Howard Lutnick

Emails show that Epstein and businessman Lutnick -- currently Trump's commerce secretary -- made plans in December 2012 to lunch on Epstein's Caribbean island.

"We are heading towards you from St. Thomas" Lutnick's wife wrote to Epstein's secretary, asking where they should anchor.

Steve Tisch

Several mails suggested Epstein connected Steve Tisch, 76, producer of the movies "Forrest Gump" and "Risky Business" and the co-owner of the New York Giants football team, with multiple women.

In one exchange with Tisch, Epstein describes a woman as "russian, and rarely tells the full truth, but fun."

Zohran Mamdani's Mother, Filmmaker Mira Nair 

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's mother, Mira Nair, attended an afterparty at convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell's house for her 2009 film "Amelia", reveals a new set of Epstein files.

An email dated October 21, 2009, sent by publicist Peggy Siegal to Jeffrey Epstein, also surfaced in documents. The email, sent in the early hours, right after Siegal left the gathering, gives an insight into the afterparty. 

The party was also attended by former President Bill Clinton and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.

"Just left Ghislaine's townhouse...after party for film. Bill Clinton and Jeff Bezos were there...Jean Pigoni, director Mira Nair....etc," the email read.

The email described the reaction of guests to Nair's film as "tepid."

"Film received tepid reaction although women like it much more...Hillary Swank and Gen: at stupid party in Bloomingdales cheap sportwear department....very weird. Studio went for free party from store and windows for a month....Going to be in Wall Street 2 tomorrow ....more to come. xoxo Peg," the email read.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
January 23,2026

modIKERALA.jpg

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Thiruvananthapuram on Friday, January 23, indicated that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is aiming to expand its political footprint in Kerala ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled in the coming months.

Speaking at a BJP-organised public meeting, Modi drew parallels between the party’s early electoral gains in Gujarat and its recent victory in the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation. The civic body win, which ended decades of Left control, was cited by the Prime Minister as a possible starting point for the party’s broader ambitions in the state.

Recalling BJP’s political trajectory in Gujarat, Modi said the party was largely insignificant before 1987 and received little media attention. He pointed out that the BJP’s first major breakthrough came with its victory in the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation that year.

“Just as our journey in Gujarat began with one city, Kerala’s journey has also started with a single city,” Modi said, suggesting that the party’s municipal-level success could translate into wider electoral acceptance.

The Prime Minister alleged that successive governments led by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) had failed to adequately develop Thiruvananthapuram. He accused both fronts of corruption and neglect, claiming that basic infrastructure and facilities were denied to the capital city for decades.

According to Modi, the BJP’s control of the civic body represents a shift driven by public dissatisfaction with the existing political alternatives. He asserted that the BJP administration in Thiruvananthapuram had begun working towards development, though no specific details or timelines were outlined.

Addressing the gathering at Putharikandam Maidan, Modi said the BJP intended to project Thiruvananthapuram as a “model city,” reiterating his party’s commitment to governance-led change.

The Prime Minister’s visit to Kerala also included the inauguration of several development projects and the flagging off of new train services, as the BJP intensifies its political outreach in the poll-bound state.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.