Israeli security forces blast protesters with water cannon as thousands demonstrate against prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of coronavirus and corruption charges

Israeli security forces blasted protestors with water cannons as thousands held demonstrations against their prime minister across the country on Saturday.

A main protest took place in west Jerusalem outside Benjamin Netanyahu's official residence.

Near daily protests have been going on for the past few weeks, sparked by what critics see as a government failure to handle the coronavirus crisis.

Corruption charges against Netanyahu who went on trial in May for bribery, fraud and breach of trust have further fuelled the demonstrations.

Having initially appeared to contained the virus, 457 Israelis have now died from Covid-19 and officials have reported 60,678 confirmed infections among a population of nine million.

Anti-government protesters in Jerusalem dispersed with water cannon

Loaded: 0%

Progress: 0%

0:00

Previous

Play

Skip

Mute

Current Time0:00

/

Duration Time1:08

Fullscreen

Need Text

+13

Israeli security forces blast a demonstrator with a water cannon in West Jerusalem as thousands gathered to protest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of the coronavirus crisis on Saturday

+13

A main protest took place in west Jerusalem outside Netanyahu's official residence as thousands flocked to the streets 

+13

Protestors are blasted with water. Near daily protests have been going on for the past few weeks, sparked by what critics see as a government failure to handle the coronavirus crisis 

+13

 A protestor is carried away from the demonstration and taken into custody by security forces in west Jersualem 

+13

Having initially appeared to contained the virus, 457 Israelis have now died from Covid-19 and officials have reported 60,678 confirmed infections among a population of nine million

+13

Israeli policeman wearing face masks take away a protestor wearing a Palestinian flag as a bandana at the protest

+13

A protester stands holds up a sign reading in Hebrew 'siege' on Balfour', referencing the street near the Israeli Prime Minister's residence, and 'on the head of the thief the hat burns'

+13

Corruption charges against Netanyahu who went on trial in May for bribery, fraud and breach of trust have further fuelled the demonstrations

'Bibi, go home,' read one sign held by a protester. Another placard read 'Everyone can see that the emperor has lost his clothes.'

Hundreds of protesters Saturday also gathered outside Netanyahu's beach house in the upscale town of Caesarea. 

Police used water cannons to disperse crowds in Jerusalem earlier in the week as well, with 55 protestors arrested overnight on Friday.

The protest near the prime minister's residence began around sundown on Thursday and was initially largely peaceful. 

A smaller counter-protest in support of Netanyahu was held nearby, with the two camps separated by metal barricades and a large police presence.

+13

Protestors gathered in Tel Aviv at the same time as the demonstrations were going on in Jerusalem yesterday

+13

Protesters clad in masks stand with Israeli flags during a demonstration against the Israeli government in Tel Aviv

+13

After what has been called a hasty and erratic reopening of the economy in May, infections shot up with the average number of new cases daily at 2,000

+13

Protestors hold up their phones at the protest in Tel Aviv. The country's economy has been battered by virus restrictions and the unemployment rate has skyrocketed to nearly 20 per cent

Police say they moved in to disperse the protesters when they tried to stage a procession through the city.

After what has been called a hasty and erratic reopening of the economy in May, infections shot up with the average number of new cases daily at 2,000. 

The country's economy has been battered by virus restrictions and the unemployment rate has skyrocketed to nearly 20 per cent.

Protesters say the government's offers of financial assistance have been nowhere near enough.

The protests came in the shadow of Netanyahu's corruption trial which resumed this month. Hearings will start in January. 

He denies charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in a series of scandals.