THOUSANDS rallied in Jerusalem on Saturday to demand the resignation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over sleaze allegations and his government’s failure to protect citizens from Covid-19 and its economic consequences.

Many carried placards reading “crime minister” while others dressed as or carried puppet extraterrestrials, a reference to Mr Netanyahu’s son Yair having labelled protesters “aliens” last week.

Israeli media said the crowds were 15,000 strong, and a further 1,000 demonstrated outside the PM’s beachside retreat in Caesaria.

Despite a heavy police presence the protests remained peaceful, though officers attacked a rally on Friday and removed hundreds of protesters by van, and last week protest marchers were assaulted by Maccabi Tel Aviv football thugs associated with the far right. 

On Friday morning police demolished a protest camp in Jerusalem’s Independence Park, confiscating “tents, mattresses, sleeping bags and belongings,” according to the left-wing Hadash coalition.

Israel’s Covid-19 case count surpassed 80,000 on Friday and unemployment in the country has topped 20 per cent.