BICOM

Over 20,000 people gathered Saturday night for a demonstration in Tel Aviv, two months after the largest protest in Israel’s history took place. The demonstrators marched from Rothschild Boulevard, home of the original tent city, to Rabin Square. The organisers were pleased with the outcome, claiming it was further proof, that despite tension in the south, social protests were not over. Most of the speakers began with words of solidarity for the citizens in the south of Israel. A planned demonstration in Be’er Sheva was canceled after the Home Front Command banned public gatherings of more than 500 people, following rocket fire from the Gaza Strip toward southern Israel.

In related developments, the Knesset’s winter session will begin today, and due to protests that begun two months ago, social and welfare issues are high on the agenda. Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin (Likud), earlier today with Israel Radio, said that the Knesset had in the past neglected dealing with the country’s social issues, but thanks to the social justice protests, social and welfare issues were now being raised for discussion.

In one form or another, almost all parties in the Knesset are expected to embrace a social justice platform in the winter session, as both the government and the opposition seek support in the run-up to the next election. Opposition parties have said they intend to introduce legislation that would complement a government-sponsored bill and is not included in the Trajtenberg recommendations. Whilst a senior Likud party official, speaking to Haaretz, said the party would use the Trajtenberg report to shape an economic policy that would appeal to the voters and would be difficult for the opposition to fault.