Iran Unrest: Israel's PM voices support for anti-government protests in Iran

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has voiced support for anti-government protests in Iran earlier this week, drawing mixed reactions. CGTN's Stephanie Freid in Tel Aviv reports.

As anti-corruption protests gain momentum in Iran, Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not keeping quiet about his desire to see the Iranian government go under.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER "I for one will not stay quiet. This regime tries desparately to sow hate between us. But they won't succeed. And when this regime falls - and it will - Israelis and Iranians will be great friends once again."

Netanyahu posted that video on his Facebook and YouTube accounts in response to Iranian president Hassan Rouhani's accusation that Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United States are behind his country's current unrest.

On Facebook - where comments are easier to control - feedback was mostly positive.

On YouTube, there was more variation including harsh negativity, like this French comment calling Israel's government "baby killers of Palestine".

There were also comments claiming the commentary is an Israeli government lead-up to a preemptive attack on Iran or Iranian backed Hezbollah.

STEPHANIE FREID TEL AVIV But what was most surprising are comments posted by Iranians who say they support the PM's message and they support what they say is his candour.

The read from one Iran expert...?

MEIR JAVEDANFAR IRAN EXPERT "A great deal of people are ambivalent because they have much more important issues on their mind than Israel. So of course with a message like that you're going to get some people who are pro and of course some people who are against and a lot of people who are just: 'meh'"

And what do Israelis think of what's happening in Iran and their prime minister's public posts?

"I talked to several Israelis today and most of them think that he acted correctly and that we should tell our opinion. That we should be in favor of the protesters because this is a really brutal and dictatorship regime which is endangering Israel and the world."

Israelis expect Netanyahu to post more commentary if the Iran situation continues escalating. Israel's government also blamed Iran for recent rocket launches into Israel from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. Stephanie Freid, CGTN, Tel Aviv.