Two activists raise Palestinian flags in front of London's Savoy Hotel where Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was staying during his controversial visit.

اثنان من المتظاهرين يرفعان الأعلام الفلسطينية أمام فندق سافوي في لندن حيث كان رئيس الوزراء الإسرائيلي بنيامين نتنياهو يقيم خلال زيارته المثيرة للجدل

שני פעילים מרימים דגלי פלסטין מול מלון סבוי בלונדון שבו שהה ראש ממשלת ישראל, בנימין נתניהו, במהלך ביקורו השנוי במחלוקת

On Friday 24 March, hundreds were in central London to protest the rolling out of a red carpet at Number 10 for Netanyahu. Israeli liberals, angry at Netanyahu's attempt to crush the independence of the judiciary and prevent a corruption indictment against him, joined Palestinian and other activists infuriated by 56 years of Apartheid, since Israel's occupation of the West Bank in 1967.

Netanyahu is still on trial for corruption in three separate cases. In 2019 he had already been officially indicted for breach of trust, accepting bribes and fraud, and as a consequence he lost the support of his coalition partners in parliament. However, last November, he returned to power in coalition with the ultra-orthodox and ultra nationalist factions, forming what almost commentators agree is the most right wing government Israel has witnessed since its independence in 1948.

Israel has been rocked by massive protests and strikes ever since Netanyahu's justice minister, Yariv Levin, revealed the government's plan to overhaul the country's justice system in January. Activists pointed out that its intent was clear. To weaken judicial independence and to shield Netanyahu from corruption charges.

Resistance to the government's proposals escalated even further two days after this photograph was taken when Netanyahu returned to Israel and fired his defence minister Yoav Gallant. Within an hour tens of thousands had taken to the streets in central Jerusalem and also surrounded Netanyahu's home.

Returning to Friday morning in London when this photo was taken, protesters waiting peacefully on the pavement opposite 10 Downing Street were doubtless surprised at the huge number of police, including dogs, deployed on Whitehall. Later, and despite heavy rain, around a hundred protesters made their way to the Savoy Hotel where Netanyahu was rumoured to be staying, where the police presence was far more low key.

Many activists carried placards such as "democracy and occupation cannot coexist" and "Free Palestine = Free Israel." They pointed out that Palestinians live in what both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have concluded is an Apartheid state, many without any access to clean water or electricity, many fearing the demolition of their homes and others the detention for lengthy periods of their relatives and children for protesting the continuing occupation. Britain's ongoing military and diplomatic support for Israel make us complicit in the continued oppression of the Palestinian people.

Two activists raise Palestinian flags outside London's Savoy Hotel where the Israeli prime minister was staying during his controversial visit.

On Friday 24 March, hundreds were in central London to protest the rolling out of a red carpet at Number 10 for Israeli prime minister Netanyahu. Israeli liberals, angry at Netanyahu's attempt to crush the independence of the judiciary and prevent a corruption indictment against him, joined Palestinian and other activists infuriated by 56 years of Apartheid, since Israel's occupation of the West Bank in 1967.

Netanyahu is still on trial for corruption in three separate cases. In 2019 he had already been officially indicted for breach of trust, accepting bribes and fraud, and as a consequence he lost the support of his coalition partners in parliament. However, last November, he returned to power in coalition with the ultra-orthodox and ultra nationalist factions, forming what almost commentators agree is the most right wing government Israel has witnessed since its independence in 1948.

Israel has been rocked by massive protests and strikes ever since Netanyahu's justice minister, Yariv Levin, revealed the government's plan to overhaul the country's justice system in January. Activists pointed out that its intent was clear. To weaken judicial independence and to shield Netanyahu from corruption charges.

Resistance to the government's proposals escalated even further two days after this photograph was taken when Netanyahu returned to Israel and fired his defence minister Yoav Gallant. Within an hour tens of thousands had taken to the streets in central Jerusalem and also surrounded Netanyahu's home.

Returning to Friday morning in London when this photo was taken, protesters waiting peacefully on the pavement opposite 10 Downing Street were doubtless surprised at the huge number of police, including dogs, deployed on Whitehall. Later, and despite heavy rain, around a hundred protesters made their way to the Savoy Hotel where Netanyahu was rumoured to be staying, where the police presence was far more low key.