150,000 Israelis Protest Over High Prices and Low Salaries
“You’re talking about real estate, we’re talking about home”.
An army of tents stands resolute and unmoving on the main streets of Tel Aviv, obstinately displaying their discontent at the sky-rocketing Israeli housing market. Over-educated, under-worked college grads, doctors and young couples from all over Israel block the intersections of the trendy Rothschild Boulevard, demanding recognition and action from their government in the face of a rising and (in the eyes of the Israeli middle-class) egregious cost of living. 150,000 marched yesterday, Saturday July, 30, calling for social justice.
Another Wave of protest that starts on Facebook
Just to give a clue on what is going on- the prices of renting has risen in 200$ on average The protests (which began, coincidentally, on the anniversary of the start of the French Revolution) originated when Daphne Leef, a young Israeli student distraught by the price of housing in Tel Aviv, began calling for protests on Facebook. She wrote to her contacts: Hi, yet we’re friends on Facebook but we don’t really know each other. I’m Daphne and I have nowhere to live. I’m going to live in a tent in Rotcheild boulevard”.
On July 14, nearly 50 tents had sprung up along Rothschild Boulevard, one of the city’s wealthiest and most trafficked streets. Just under two weeks later, the protest has grown to dominate over a kilometer stretch of the road, with no signs of subsiding.
Right now, Saturday night, 50,000 people are marching all across the country. Protestors have joined forces with the doctors who are striking against their work conditions.
Unsurprisingly, commentators on this current bout of unrest in Israel have drawn comparisons to the recent surge of Middle-Eastern political activity now known as the “Arab Spring,” especially of the reliance on social media for organizational purposes. However, it is important to note that, unlike the protests in places like Egypt and Tunisia, these which are taking place in Israel have less to do with the function and formation of government, and more to do with economic uncertainty.
Bejamin Netangahu doesn’t hear the voice of the poor
That isn’t to say, however, that the government is completely out of the crosshairs.
Much to the contrary, really. On July 23rd, protesting became so intense that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu made this issue his prime concern. And, with a 30,000 person march last week and nearly 87% of Israelis supporting the protests, it’s easy to see why he would do so.
Several days ago, March 26th, Netanyahu comes out on a press conference with measures that would ensure state-subsidized housing, commuter discounts and benefits for students (especially those living outside of urban areas), and approximately 10,000 new government-owned dormitories for college students.
While seemingly generous, Netanyahu’s plan falls under the “Too Little, Too Late” category of blatant pandering to constituents. For most Israelis, Netanyahu seems to be not only suggesting that the citizenry eat cake, but also demands that they have it, too. Not surprisingly, many groups are calling for an early election to replace the Prime Minister.
Hopefully, political careers will be the only thing facing the guillotines and Benjamin Netanyahu might be the first.
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