As Netanyahu returned to Jerusalem, activists stood on the light-rail bridge at the entrance to the city and waved signs supporting the prime minister in the face of American pressure. Banners proclaimed “Obama, No You Can't,” and “We will Safeguard Jerusalem.” Activists, members of the Zionist student movement Im Tirtzu, explained, "We came here tonight to welcome Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and to support him and the cabinet in face of the pressure from America, and the chutzpa of US President Obama, who is basically asking Israel to sacrifice its greatest national interests.” A second organization, Matot Arim (Cities Task Force), turned to Netanyahu's mini-Cabinet in the hopes of convincing the ministers not to cave under US pressure. The group sent letters to four of the seven senior ministers, Minster of Strategic Affairs Moshe Yaalon, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Internal Affairs Minister Eli Yishai, and Minister Ze'ev Begin. "Four are always the majority out of seven,” Matot Arim reminded the ministers. “This mathematical fact means that if each one of you stands firm and does not fold – then all seven will, by necessity, make the right decisions, and the government of Israel and the state of Israel as a whole will not fold.” “On the eve of the festival of freedom,” the group said, minister should tell Obama “that the people of Israel gained their freedom thousands of years ago, and will not agree to give it up.”
