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400,000 take part in largest demonstration in Israel’s history
Approximately 400,000 Israelis took part in demonstrations across Israel on Saturday night, under the slogan ‘the people demands social justice.’ The demonstrations were held to protest at the high cost of living in Israel. The largest single protest took place at Tel Aviv’s Kikar HaMedina (State Square). An estimated 300,000 people attended the rally, which was addressed by protest leaders, including those whose protest over housing costs in Tel Aviv two months ago began the current movement. 40,000 demonstrators took part in an additional demonstration in Jerusalem outside the Prime Minister’s Residence. Demonstrations were held also in Haifa, Afula, Kiryat Shmona, Rosh Pina, Eilat, Mitzpe Ramon and Arad.
The demonstrations over the weekend were seen as a test for the social protest movement. Media focus on the movement in Israel had faded over the past two weeks, following the terror attack in Eilat on August 18th, in which 8 Israelis were murdered, and the subsequent rocket fire from Gaza and retaliatory operations by the Israel Defense Forces. The weekend’s demonstrations were dubbed the ‘March of the Million’ by organisers, and it was feared that a small turnout would cast a pall over further protests. In the event, however, the large number of participants constituted a clear achievement for the protest movement. It is less clear, however, what happens next. The tent encampments that have formed the daily focus for the protest movement are now being dismantled, by decision of the protest leaders. ‘Negotiations’ between protest leaders and the committee established by the government and headed by Professor Emmanuel Trachtenberg are continuing.
Protest leaders say they have no intention of founding a political party, or of entering organized politics. They do intend, however, to found an extra-parliamentary organization which will continue to push for a new economic policy. It remains to be seen, however, if they will succeed in remaining unified. Widely differing perspectives regarding the extent of change required and the means to bring it about have emerged, for example, in the words of protest founder Daphne Leef and student leader Itzik Shmuli in recent days.