yeah hundreds of thousands have taken to the streets in Israel protesting their own government after six more hostages were recently found dead in Gaza including one American, Hersh Goldberg-Polin casting a shadow on hopes held by families of remaining hostages that their loved ones will come home to them alive including the family of 20-year-old tenly native Edan Alexander who was taken captive during the October 7th attack it's also ignited israeli's willingness to put pressure on the government to strike a deal sooner than later for more on that I'm joined by Dr Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a Montclair State University professor and expert on Israeli studies Professor thanks so much for Lending your Insight of course there have been massive protests that have erupted across Israel What specifically are these protesters demanding well first of all thank you for having me people are greatly disappointed by the ways in which the government uh of Israel particularly the Prime Minister netan have been handling the hostage situation the war situation the ceasefire opportunities and and the overall picture of what is going on uh so uh many people are also devastated uh by that and and and a large number of people think and those were demonstrated in particular and they are not an homogeneous Group by the way you have all type of individuals from different sectors of society uh from different political Persuasions um they think that what have happened particularly uh this last uh weekend when it was announced that six of the hostages that were alive have been executed by the terrorist group Hamas uh that this could have been prevented um and that there is fear of what would happen with the rest of the hostages that still be alive so the pressure that they are trying to put on the government is one in which uh they want much more flexibility on the ways in which the negotiations are going on for the cost are are these protesters who had discontent for the Prime Minister previously or is this sort of a new crop of folks who are increasingly frustrated specifically with with the hostage situation as you mentioned they have great disc content for other reasons previously as you have documented in the past uh through the news uh but uh this this time we are having an addition of people who are coming to protest uh because of this situation because I mean all the polls uh that are being conducted these day in in Israel uh among the Jewish population but also with the Arab population is showing a great discontent among sectors that PR previously have been identified uh with the more religious and conservative political sectors How likely is it that this public pressure will amount to the outcome they're seeking and I think it's very difficult uh because there are so many players uh in this equation um uh the at at this point I am not optimistic that this is enough but this is giv a sign uh on the one hand to to the enemy right I mean the the the Kamas his balah and and Iranian uh kind of network in a way uh they are telling we see we can get the public in Israel against the government but that will be the half glass empty the half glass full is signaling perhaps to the Biden Administration and also to Congress uh that there is room for the for the American public to influence and for the government to influence uh what is going on so the pressure should be on both sides greatly it looks like neither one one of the leaders in both sides are interested really in reality on on anything by extending the world for different reasons right uh Dr Hersh Goldberg-Polin.

thank you so much for Lending some of your expertise well it my pleasure and thank you for having me and thank you for the audience