BICOM

Organisers of the social protests taking place across Israel announced yesterday that they plan to move the weekly mass rallies in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to the periphery of the country. The organisers said that the social problems are not only in the big cities and that it is important for the government to see that the protests are a nationwide struggle. Some of the cities that are planning to hold rallies this Saturday include Afula, Haifa, Beit She’an, Beersheba, Modi’in, Ramat Hasharon, Netanya, Eilat, Hod Hasharon, Dimona and Petah Tikva.

Yesterday more Israelis join forces in protest events taking place in cities across the country. Thursday evening hundreds of young parents and doctors held a nationwide march calling for better and more affordable living conditions. Activities took place in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Beersheba, Bat Yam, Rehovot and Eilat.

In related news, British Ambassador to Israel, Matthew Gould said in an interview with Ynetnews yesterday that he admired the peaceful social protests taking place across Israel and praised the demonstrators for choosing to protest in a non-violent and legitimate manner.

Regarding the riots taking place in Britain, Gould said that the events show Britain at its worst and its best. Gould said the violence and looting “ashamed and saddened” him, while many Brits took the initiative to clean up the streets and support the police and rule of law after the riots. “I have no doubt that things will return to normal soon,” he said. Gould added that London is safe for Israeli tourists, students and businessmen but understood why the Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a travel advisory earlier this week to citizens traveling to the UK.