Sunday, July 31, 2011

Massive 'Social Justice' Protests Sweep Israel

TEL AVIV -- Tens of thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets in 10 cities to protest against the high cost of living and to demand ''social justice, not charity''.

Israeli activists march on a main road in Tel Aviv, Israel July 30, 2011. Tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets on Saturday to protest against the high cost of living and demand Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu undertake sweeping economic reforms. Police and media estimated that between 80,000 and 120,000 people demonstrated on Saturday. More than 50,000 people marched in Tel Aviv; about 10,000 protested in the northern city of Haifa, and in Jerusalem 15,000 demonstrators congregated outside the residence of the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, waving placards that read: ''A whole generation wants a future.''

''I came because I cannot make ends meet, and taxes end up in the pockets of the rich,'' one protester, who runs a nursery school, said.

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4 comments:

  1. It must be that "socialist big government" of Netanyahu.! Haha

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  2. I wonder if the protesters have any commonality on their views of Palestine.  I wonder if there is solidarity or if they want their problems solved on the backs of the Palestinians.

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  3. I have heard that the protests are not seen as a political threat although it is the first time in a long while that the left has been able to unify around anything. There is  a Woodstock-like atmosphere about it. It's summer break (for the students) so this is a big block party.

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  4. Do I have permission to comment?

    If so, I don't think this is related to Arab spring per say. Iraq, Lebonon, Palestine, Israel seem to be moving differently from the rest.

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