2011 Israeli social justice protests
Encyclopedia
The 2011 Israeli social justice protests , which are also referred to by various other names in the media, are a series of ongoing demonstrations in Israel
beginning in July 2011 involving hundreds of thousands of protesters from a variety of socio-economic and religious backgrounds opposing the continuing rise in the cost of living (particularly housing) and the deterioration of public services such as health and education. A common rallying cry at the demonstrations was the chant; "The people demand social justice!".
As the protests expanded during August 2011
, the demonstrations began to also focus on other related issues relating to the social order and power structure in Israel.
The housing protests which sparked the first demonstrations began as a result of a Facebook
protest group that initially led hundreds of people to establish tents in the Rothschild Boulevard
in the center of Tel Aviv
, an act which soon gained momentum, media attention and began a public discourse in Israel regarding the high cost of housing
and living expenses. Soon afterwards, the protests spread to many other major cities in Israel as thousands of Israeli protesters began establishing tents in the middle of central streets in major cities as a means of protest. As part of the protests, several mass demonstrations have been held across the country, in which hundreds of thousands of people have participated.
A major focus of the protests have been what organizers have termed social justice
. Part of the movement is about changing the social order, and the economic system. Calls to topple the government were made by some parts of the protests. Criticism of the protests includes accusations of a political agenda rather than a social one with revelations of funding from specific left-wing individuals and organizations like S. Daniel Abraham
and the New Israel Fund
. Maariv journalist Kalman Libeskind claimed that the spontaneous protests had actually been three months in the planning by Stan Greenberg
and orchestrated by left-wing organizations and The National Left. Criticism within the protests accused the 'protest leaders' of not publicizing specific goals, the lack of visibility of their goals, and the damaging impact of media focus being on a few activists.
Following the first large-scale protests in early August, the government announced that a series of measures would taken to solve the housing shortage, some of which were already under preparation and ratification, and some which were new measures proposed in response to the demands of the protest movement leadership. In addition, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
appointed a team of ministers and senior staff members from his office, headed by Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz
, to negotiate with the protest leaders as well as the Trajtenberg Committee
. Since that time, there has been significant criticism of the Prime Minister's perceived insensitivity to the public sentiment, and there is ongoing speculation that general sympathy for the protest movement may cause one or more members of the governing coalition to leave the government, triggering national elections.
Demographic structural factors, such as a large percentage of educated but dissatisfied youth within the population, extreme poverty in the haredi Jewish sector, and high unemployment in the Arab-Israeli population have spread the cause of the protests amongst a wide swathe of the Israeli population. Many have also blamed the erosion of Israel's traditional egalitarian socio-economic model for the rise in public dissatisfaction, claiming that the rise of American-style social structures in Israel is incompatible with Zionist ideology.
A major catalyst for public anger has been the significant rise in the cost of living, particularly for the lower and middle class. Although average salaries in Israel tend to be lower than those in the Western world, the cost of many consumer goods is relatively high - particularly basic necessities on which long established price controls have gradually been lifted. Since 2007, Israel has also experienced a gradual rise in housing prices. This increase followed a decade-long period of low housing costs, between 1996 and 2005, as well as a long history of significant government involvement in the public housing sector. According to data from the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics
, from 2005 to 2011 apartment rental prices rose 34% on average, 49% in the Gush Dan region around Tel Aviv. A survey published by the Housing and Construction Minister of Israel
revealed that in 2010, 129 average monthly salaries were required for the purchase of an average priced apartment, an amount significantly higher than countries in the Western world.
to defeat the right-wing. It was recommended that not one organization should coordinate the struggle, rather to divide up the effort with as many initiatives in as many locations as possible. Maariv journalist Kalman Libeskind suggested that the protests were a result of this plan.
During June 2011, a month before the housing protest began, another significant large scale demonstration took place in Israel. Commonly referred to by the media as the cottage cheese boycott, this event saw the Israeli public protest against the high cost of many products in Israel and specifically in this case, the high price of cottage cheese. The protest was successful and led to a drop in the retail price of cottage cheese. This was the first time in Israel that a public protest organized by means of social networking had such a wide public effect in Israel.
In July 2011, 25-year-old Israeli video editor Daphne Leef had to vacate the central Tel Aviv apartment where she had lived for three years due to major renovations in her building. Leef soon found out that apartment rental prices in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area had skyrocketed. Consequently, she initiated a small-scale public tent protest. Leef opened a Facebook protest page, inviting others to join her protest, and pitched a tent in Habima Square
in Tel Aviv. In response, protesters gathered in the streets around Rothschild Boulevard in Tel Aviv, as well as in Zion Square in Jerusalem.
The use of Protest camp
s have been described by the protest leaders as being inspired by the Hooverville
tent cities in the Central Park of New York City in which many Americans were forced to live during the Great Depression
in the United States.
The use of social networks for public protests began to increase in the early 2010s, with the most significant one being the large-scale demonstrations in Arab countries in the Middle East
that led to a change of government in several countries such as Egypt
(see 2011 Egyptian revolution
). Some see a connection between the Arab Spring protests and the 2011 Israeli housing protests, as the common denominator is, firstly, the use of social networking to organize public protests, and secondly the fact that these two waves of protests stem from the increase in the cost of living, that they were organized mostly by young people, and that the protesters claims include not only economic demands but also demands for changes in the policies and practices of the ruling government.
August
September
October
Tel Aviv has been at the epicenter of much of the crisis and has experienced ongoing protests every day from 14 July 2011 onwards. The largest protests were held in downtown Tel Aviv, which has been considered the protest movement's most effective symbol. Hundreds of thousands of people have been estimated to participate in the protests rallies in Tel Aviv.
Rishon-Lezion
Some tents were established at Rishon-Lezion's municipal park already in late July 2011.
Jerusalem
Haifa and the North District
On August 13, 2011 circa 25,000 people turned out to demonstrate in the Haifa
downtown protest.
Beersheba and the Southern District
On August 13, 2011 more than 20,000 people turned out to demonstrate in Beersheba
.
Holon
There were approximately 10 illegally built shacks in Jessie Cohen neighborhood in Holon, built by people from the lower class. On September 7th the shacks were evacuated.
up to 50% cheaper if they agree to build small apartments. Contractors bidding on rent-earmarked housing projects would be obligated to rent out 50% of their apartments built for a period of at least ten years, at 30% of their current value, and would be allowed to sell the other 50% of apartments at a price they can set. Contractors would be allowed to raise rent rates annually, in accordance with the consumer price index
. Contractors and land developers who build student housing would be given land for free, but would have to agree to government-supervised rent rates for twenty years. Netanyahu's plan also called for six newly appointed national housing boards to authorize housing projects with little bureaucracy. The boards' mandate would be reviewed every eighteen months. Netanyahu also said that the government would promote the construction of 10,000 housing units for students, and would subsidize students' transportation to allow them to seek housing further away from universities.
. Professor Manuel Trajtenberg
, chairman of the Planning and Budgeting Committee of the Council for Higher Education, former head of the National Economic Council, and the former Chief Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister, was appointed to head the committee. The committee consists of 14 members, 10 of whom are government or public officials.
Amongst the most prominent activists in the protests are Daphne Leef, Orly Weisselberg, Roee Neuman, Yigal Rambam, Stav Shaffir, Jonathan Levy, Jonathan Miller, Regev Kontas, Adam Dovz'insky, Baruch Oren and Boaz Gaon. Actively contributing and supporting the protests were newspaper columnists Roy Arad
and Shlomo Kraus.
Adam Dovz'insky, who took a prominent part at the beginning of the protests with a hunger strike that ended when he collapsed and needed medical attention, would later declare that the Rothschild Blvd leadership does not want solutions but rather to topple the Netanyahu government, that the protests seemed to be the end themselves, not a means toward achieve negotiations. Dovz'insky also said he had information connected the protests with European anarchists.
Nevertheless, in August 2011, as the protests grew significantly, the demands became more radical as they began to call for a sweeping overhaul of the Israeli economy and society which would change the current Neo liberal approach of the Netanyahu government to a more social approach. The list of demands for broader changes in the Israeli society and governance, articulated by protesters and activists, includes the following:
", two weeks prior to the protest, the Israeli social movement "The National Left" sought people on Facebook "who have unreasonable rent fees" to start a campaign to lower the cost of housing for young people. On the day on which the protest began, the "The National Left" movement called its activists to get to the Rothschild Boulevard, and organized the delivery of 20 tents to the encampment. In an interview with the Israeli morning show "HaOlam HaBoker" the chairman of the movement, Eldad Yaniv, addressed "Israel HaYom"'s report and explained that the movement "organizes many protests like this throughout country and it just happened that this one became popular". Several activists posted Daphne Leef's call on the movement's web site and invited their friends to join the encampment. The movement also initiated the establishment of a website to accompany the protest and assisted in managing the encampment, in part by the introduction of "popular assemblies" for making decisions on the conduct of the protest.
The protest also gained support from the National Union of Israeli Students
and the local student unions throughout Israel, who helped establish the encampments and organized transportation to the demonstration in Tel Aviv. The Jewish U.S.-based non-profit organization "New Israel Fund
" gave guidance and logistical support to the encampments in Kiryat Shmona
, Be'er Sheva and elsewhere. The head of the Shatil activist wing of the New Israel Fund admitted that the group was working behind the scenes and coordinating multiple tent locations and published a report on its activities.
The Zionist extra-parliamentary group "Im Tirtzu
", which initially supported the protests, later announced that it would stop its involvement due to the participation of the "New Israel Fund". The Bnei Akiva
and the "Rannim" movements (both of the religious Zionism) announced that they would also stop their involvement in the protests in Tel Aviv. The "Rannim" movement later announced it would continue its participation in the protest but only in the Jerusalem encampment.
The protests were also joined by "The Coalition for Affordable Housing" and "The Headquarters for a Liable Housing" who bind the following organizations: Association for Civil Rights in Israel
, Bimkom
, Women Lawyers for Social Justice, Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel
, Movement for Quality Government in Israel
, Greenpeace Israel
, Mizrahi Democratic Rainbow Coalition
and the Israel Union for Environmental Defense
. Additional organizations who joined the protests include the "Koach La Ovdim" General trade union, the Socialist–Zionist youth movements HaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed
and Hashomer Hatzair
, the non-Zionist left-wing organization Ma'avak Sotzialisti the Israeli human rights organization Rabbis for Human Rights
, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel
, and the political parties Meretz and Hadash
.
The protests also gained the support of various Israeli mayors and local councils, including the mayor of Tel Aviv Ron Huldai
, the mayor of Jerusalem Nir Barkat and the chairman of the Union of Local Authorities in Israel, Shlomo Bohbot
. Knesset members from both the coalition and the opposition have expressed their support for the struggle; some even visited the various protest encampments. Two weeks after the start of the protest, the chairman of the Histadrut
, Ofer Eini, met with protest leaders and announced that the Histadrut would assist them in their contacts with the government.
Jimmy Wales
, a co-founder of Wikipedia
, visited the tent cities in Tel Aviv where the protests were taking place. He said, "It's wonderful that in the democracy here, people have the right to go out and express their opinion. I do not know if I agree with the protest or not, because I'm not familiar with the economic and social situation in Israel, but the very fact that freedom of speech and discourse are free in Israel is remarkable."
Along with the massive support the housing protest has gained, as the protest kept developing and, various public figures and organizations, mostly affiliated with the political right in Israel, gradually increased their criticism of the protests and their organizers. Most of the criticism has focused on the allegations that the protests were not spontaneous, and that they were scheduled and planned by various left-wing media and political organizations in Israel. It is alleged that these organizations exploited the protests initiated by Daphne Leef as well as the economic distress that exists among large sections of the Israeli public in order to promote a political agenda that they finance, and which is primarily designed to overthrow the current right-wing government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu
; it is alleged that finding actual solutions to the housing crises in Israel is only a secondary concern. The Tel-Aviv city hall was criticized for indirectly supporting the protests at 40,000ILS per day, price including electricity and clean services. While the protests in general have been peaceful, some incidents of violence have been reported. On 4 August 2011, two activists were arrested following an attempt to burn down the tent of right-wing activists participating at the Rothschild location. At a press conference held on July 26, 2011 Daphne Leef responded to the various allegations made against her and the protest organizers and stated the following:
Collected coverage
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
beginning in July 2011 involving hundreds of thousands of protesters from a variety of socio-economic and religious backgrounds opposing the continuing rise in the cost of living (particularly housing) and the deterioration of public services such as health and education. A common rallying cry at the demonstrations was the chant; "The people demand social justice!".
As the protests expanded during August 2011
August 2011
'August 2011 was the eighth month of the current year. It began on a Monday and ended after 31 days on a Wednesday.- Portal:Current events :This is an archived version of Wikipedia's Current events Portal from August 2011. ...
, the demonstrations began to also focus on other related issues relating to the social order and power structure in Israel.
The housing protests which sparked the first demonstrations began as a result of a Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
protest group that initially led hundreds of people to establish tents in the Rothschild Boulevard
Rothschild Boulevard
Rothschild Boulevard is one of the principal streets in the center of Tel Aviv, Israel, beginning in Neve Tzedek at its southwestern edge and running north to Habima Theatre. It is one of the busiest and most expensive streets in the city, being one of the city's main tourist attractions...
in the center of Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, an act which soon gained momentum, media attention and began a public discourse in Israel regarding the high cost of housing
Israel's housing bubble
The Israeli housing bubble is an observation that Israeli real estate prices in the late 2000s and 2010 appear to be inflated , and that this may constitute a real estate bubble...
and living expenses. Soon afterwards, the protests spread to many other major cities in Israel as thousands of Israeli protesters began establishing tents in the middle of central streets in major cities as a means of protest. As part of the protests, several mass demonstrations have been held across the country, in which hundreds of thousands of people have participated.
A major focus of the protests have been what organizers have termed social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
. Part of the movement is about changing the social order, and the economic system. Calls to topple the government were made by some parts of the protests. Criticism of the protests includes accusations of a political agenda rather than a social one with revelations of funding from specific left-wing individuals and organizations like S. Daniel Abraham
S. Daniel Abraham
S. Daniel Abraham is an American businessman who was born and raised in Long Beach, New York. He is frequently included in Forbes 400 list of the 400 wealthiest Americans, and is notable for his introduction of the Slim-Fast line of diet products in the late 1970s. Forbes estimates his net worth...
and the New Israel Fund
New Israel Fund
The New Israel Fund is a U.S. based non-profit organization established in 1979, and describes its objective as social justice and equality for all Israelis.-Ideology:...
. Maariv journalist Kalman Libeskind claimed that the spontaneous protests had actually been three months in the planning by Stan Greenberg
Stan Greenberg
Stanley Bernard Greenberg is a leading Democratic pollster and political strategist who has advised the campaigns of Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and John Kerry, as well as hundreds of other candidates and organizations in the United States and around the world, including the former Bundeskanzler ...
and orchestrated by left-wing organizations and The National Left. Criticism within the protests accused the 'protest leaders' of not publicizing specific goals, the lack of visibility of their goals, and the damaging impact of media focus being on a few activists.
Following the first large-scale protests in early August, the government announced that a series of measures would taken to solve the housing shortage, some of which were already under preparation and ratification, and some which were new measures proposed in response to the demands of the protest movement leadership. In addition, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is the current Prime Minister of Israel. He serves also as the Chairman of the Likud Party, as a Knesset member, as the Health Minister of Israel, as the Pensioner Affairs Minister of Israel and as the Economic Strategy Minister of Israel.Netanyahu is the first and, to...
appointed a team of ministers and senior staff members from his office, headed by Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz
Yuval Steinitz
Yuval Steinitz , is an Israeli academic and politician who has been a Knesset member for Likud since 1999. He is now the Finance Minister of Israel.-Biography:...
, to negotiate with the protest leaders as well as the Trajtenberg Committee
Trajtenberg Committee
The Trajtenberg Committee is a commission appointed by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on August 8, 2011 in order to examine and propose solutions to Israel's socioeconomic problems. The committee was established following the 2011 Israeli housing protests...
. Since that time, there has been significant criticism of the Prime Minister's perceived insensitivity to the public sentiment, and there is ongoing speculation that general sympathy for the protest movement may cause one or more members of the governing coalition to leave the government, triggering national elections.
Naming
In Israel the protests have generally been referred to as the Housing Protest ( Mechaat HaDiyur), Social justice protest ( Mechaat Tzedek Hevrati), the Cost of Living protest ( Mechaat Yoker HaMekhiya), the Real estate protest ( Mechaat HaNadlan), the Tents protest ( Mechaat HaOhalim) and less frequently the middle class protest ( Mechaat Maamad HaBeynaim).Motivations
Numerous factors have led to the protests, in particular rising cost of housing and living expenses in Israel, but also various ongoing issues such as government corruption, rising poverty rates which the OECD defined as being twice the average of other developed countries, and a widening gap between rich and poor.Demographic structural factors, such as a large percentage of educated but dissatisfied youth within the population, extreme poverty in the haredi Jewish sector, and high unemployment in the Arab-Israeli population have spread the cause of the protests amongst a wide swathe of the Israeli population. Many have also blamed the erosion of Israel's traditional egalitarian socio-economic model for the rise in public dissatisfaction, claiming that the rise of American-style social structures in Israel is incompatible with Zionist ideology.
A major catalyst for public anger has been the significant rise in the cost of living, particularly for the lower and middle class. Although average salaries in Israel tend to be lower than those in the Western world, the cost of many consumer goods is relatively high - particularly basic necessities on which long established price controls have gradually been lifted. Since 2007, Israel has also experienced a gradual rise in housing prices. This increase followed a decade-long period of low housing costs, between 1996 and 2005, as well as a long history of significant government involvement in the public housing sector. According to data from the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics
Israel Central Bureau of Statistics
The Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , abbreviated CBS, is an Israeli government office established in 1949 to carry out research and publish statistical data on all aspects of Israeli life, including population, society, economy, industry, education and physical infrastructure.It is headed by a...
, from 2005 to 2011 apartment rental prices rose 34% on average, 49% in the Gush Dan region around Tel Aviv. A survey published by the Housing and Construction Minister of Israel
Housing and Construction Minister of Israel
The Ministry of Housing and Construction is a portfolio in the Israeli cabinet. The ministry was created in 1961, and until 1977 it was known as the Ministry of Housing. Construction was also previously part of the Labour and Construction ministry during the provisional government between 1948 and...
revealed that in 2010, 129 average monthly salaries were required for the purchase of an average priced apartment, an amount significantly higher than countries in the Western world.
Events leading to the protests
In April 2011, about three months before the cost of living protests began, Boaz Gaon, son of prominent Israeli businessman Benny Gaon, presented activists with a ten point plan by Democratic pollster and political strategist Stan GreenbergStan Greenberg
Stanley Bernard Greenberg is a leading Democratic pollster and political strategist who has advised the campaigns of Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and John Kerry, as well as hundreds of other candidates and organizations in the United States and around the world, including the former Bundeskanzler ...
to defeat the right-wing. It was recommended that not one organization should coordinate the struggle, rather to divide up the effort with as many initiatives in as many locations as possible. Maariv journalist Kalman Libeskind suggested that the protests were a result of this plan.
During June 2011, a month before the housing protest began, another significant large scale demonstration took place in Israel. Commonly referred to by the media as the cottage cheese boycott, this event saw the Israeli public protest against the high cost of many products in Israel and specifically in this case, the high price of cottage cheese. The protest was successful and led to a drop in the retail price of cottage cheese. This was the first time in Israel that a public protest organized by means of social networking had such a wide public effect in Israel.
In July 2011, 25-year-old Israeli video editor Daphne Leef had to vacate the central Tel Aviv apartment where she had lived for three years due to major renovations in her building. Leef soon found out that apartment rental prices in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area had skyrocketed. Consequently, she initiated a small-scale public tent protest. Leef opened a Facebook protest page, inviting others to join her protest, and pitched a tent in Habima Square
Habima Square
HaBima Square is a public space in the center of Tel Aviv, Israel, which is home to a number of cultural institutions such as the Habima Theatre, the Fredric R. Mann Auditorium and the Helena Rubinstein Pavilion for Contemporary Art...
in Tel Aviv. In response, protesters gathered in the streets around Rothschild Boulevard in Tel Aviv, as well as in Zion Square in Jerusalem.
The use of Protest camp
Protest camp
Protest camps are physical camps that are set up by activists, to either provide a base for protest, or to delay, obstruct or prevent the focus of their protest by physically blocking it with the camp...
s have been described by the protest leaders as being inspired by the Hooverville
Hooverville
A 'Hooverville' was the popular name for shanty towns built by homeless people during the Great Depression. They were named after the President of the United States at the time, Herbert Hoover, because he allegedly let the nation slide into depression...
tent cities in the Central Park of New York City in which many Americans were forced to live during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
in the United States.
The use of social networks for public protests began to increase in the early 2010s, with the most significant one being the large-scale demonstrations in Arab countries in the Middle East
Arab Spring
The Arab Spring , otherwise known as the Arab Awakening, is a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests occurring in the Arab world that began on Saturday, 18 December 2010...
that led to a change of government in several countries such as Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
(see 2011 Egyptian revolution
2011 Egyptian revolution
The 2011 Egyptian revolution took place following a popular uprising that began on Tuesday, 25 January 2011 and is still continuing as of November 2011. The uprising was mainly a campaign of non-violent civil resistance, which featured a series of demonstrations, marches, acts of civil...
). Some see a connection between the Arab Spring protests and the 2011 Israeli housing protests, as the common denominator is, firstly, the use of social networking to organize public protests, and secondly the fact that these two waves of protests stem from the increase in the cost of living, that they were organized mostly by young people, and that the protesters claims include not only economic demands but also demands for changes in the policies and practices of the ruling government.
Protests
Timeline
July- 14 July 2011: 25-year-old Daphne Leef pitches a tent in the Habima Square in Tel Aviv and in addition opens a Facebook protest page, where she invites others to join her protest.
- 15 July 2011: In response to Leef's protest, many protesters gathered in the streets around Rothschild BoulevardRothschild BoulevardRothschild Boulevard is one of the principal streets in the center of Tel Aviv, Israel, beginning in Neve Tzedek at its southwestern edge and running north to Habima Theatre. It is one of the busiest and most expensive streets in the city, being one of the city's main tourist attractions...
in Tel Aviv where about 50 tents were pitched. - 16 July 2011: the National Union of Israeli StudentsNational Union of Israeli StudentsThe National Union of Israeli Students is the national representative body of university students in Israel.-Members:...
joined the protests. - 17 July 2011: the Hashomer HatzairHashomer HatzairHashomer Hatzair is a Socialist–Zionist youth movement founded in 1913 in Galicia, Austria-Hungary, and was also the name of the group's political party in the Yishuv in the pre-1948 British Mandate of Palestine...
movement joined the protests. - 23 July 2011: tens of thousands of demonstrators participated in a the protest movement's first rally held in the center of Tel Aviv which included a mass march from the tent compound at Habima SquareHabima SquareHaBima Square is a public space in the center of Tel Aviv, Israel, which is home to a number of cultural institutions such as the Habima Theatre, the Fredric R. Mann Auditorium and the Helena Rubinstein Pavilion for Contemporary Art...
to the Tel Aviv Museum of ArtTel Aviv Museum of ArtThe Tel Aviv Museum of Art is an art museum in Tel Aviv, Israel. It was established in 1932 in a building that was the home of Tel Aviv's first mayor, Meir Dizengoff. The Helena Rubinstein Pavilion for Contemporary Art opened in 1959. The museum moved to its current location on King Saul Avenue in...
Plaza, where the main rally was held. - 24 July 2011: a protest broke out in Jerusalem, in which 1,000 demonstrators marched towards the KnessetKnessetThe Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
while causing major traffic disruptions. - 26 July 2011: Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced new housing programs aimed at addressing the housing shortage in Israel and at supporting the students.
- 28 July 2011: the first "strollers march" took place in which thousands of Israeli parents took part, protesting against the high costs of raising children in Israel.
- 30 July 2011: between 85,000 and 150,000 people took part in mass rallies in major cities across Israel. Demonstrations were held in Jerusalem, Tel AvivTel AvivTel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, HaifaHaifaHaifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
, BeershebaBeershebaBeersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
, Kfar SabaKfar SabaKfar Saba , officially Kfar Sava, is a city in the Sharon region, of the Center District of Israel. At the end of 2009, Kfar Saba had a total population of 83,600.-History:...
, Ra'ananaRa'ananaRa'anana is a city in the heart of the southern Sharon Plain of the Central District of Israel with a population of 68,300, . Ra'anana is bordered by Kfar Sava on the east and Herzliya on the southwest...
, Baqa al-Gharbiya, Ashdod, NazarethNazarethNazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
, Kiryat ShmonaKiryat ShmonaKiryat Shmona is a city located in the North District of Israel on the western slopes of the Hula Valley on the Lebanese border. The city was named for the eight people, including Joseph Trumpeldor, who died in 1920 defending Tel Hai....
, Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'utModi'in-Maccabim-Re'utModi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut is a city in the Center District of Israel located approximately halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. It was formed in 2003 by the merger of Modi'in and Maccabim-Re'ut...
, Kfar SabaKfar SabaKfar Saba , officially Kfar Sava, is a city in the Sharon region, of the Center District of Israel. At the end of 2009, Kfar Saba had a total population of 83,600.-History:...
, NetanyaNetanyaNetanya is a city in the Northern Centre District of Israel, and is the capital of the surrounding Sharon plain. It is located north of Tel Aviv, and south of Haifa between the 'Poleg' stream and Wingate Institute in the south and the 'Avichail' stream in the north.Its of beaches have made the...
, AshkelonAshkelonAshkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
, Tiberias, the Savion Junction, and the Jordan Valley.
August
- 6 August 2011: between 200,000 and 350,000 protesters took part in mass rallies in major cities across Israel. Demonstrations took place in Tel AvivTel AvivTel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
(150,000 - 300,000), Jerusalem (30,000), Kiryat ShmonaKiryat ShmonaKiryat Shmona is a city located in the North District of Israel on the western slopes of the Hula Valley on the Lebanese border. The city was named for the eight people, including Joseph Trumpeldor, who died in 1920 defending Tel Hai....
(3,000), Hod HaSharonHod HaSharonHod HaSharon is a city in the Center District of Israel.Officially declared a city in 1990, Hod HaSharon was created from the union in 1964 of four neighboring villages: Magdiel, Ramatayim, Hadar, and Ramat Hadar...
(1,000), Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'utModi'in-Maccabim-Re'utModi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut is a city in the Center District of Israel located approximately halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. It was formed in 2003 by the merger of Modi'in and Maccabim-Re'ut...
(5,000), AshkelonAshkelonAshkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
(500), DimonaDimonaDimona is an Israeli city in the Negev desert, to the south of Beersheba and west of the Dead Sea above the Arava valley in the Southern District of Israel. Its population at the end of 2007 was 33,600.-History:...
(200), and Eilat (1,000). - 7 August 2011: some 1,300 parents staged "strollers marches" in Giv'atayimGiv'atayimGiv'atayim is a city in Israel east of Tel Aviv. It is part of the metropolitan area known as Gush Dan. Givatayim was established in 1922 by pioneers of the Second Aliyah. It has a population of 53,000....
, KarmielKarmielKarmiel is a city in northern Israel. Established in 1964 as a development town, Karmiel is located in the Beit HaKerem Valley which divides upper and lower Galilee. The city is located south of the Acre-Safed road, from Safed and from Acre...
, and Pardes Hanna-KarkurPardes Hanna-KarkurPardes Hanna-Karkur is a town in the Haifa District of Israel. In 2009, it had a population of 31,800.-History:In 1913, 15 square kilometers of land was purchased by the Hachsharat Hayishuv society from Arabs in Jenin and Haifa for 400,000 francs...
. In Tel Aviv, some 100 right-wing activists marched in Rothschild Boulevard, protesting what they called the "anarchistic nature of the leftist housing protest".
- 13 August 2011: at most 75,000 people took part in mass rallies in major cities across Israel. Demonstrations took place in HaifaHaifaHaifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
, BeershebaBeershebaBeersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
, AfulaAfulaAfula is a city in the North District of Israel, often known as the "Capital of the Valley", referring to the Jezreel Valley. The city had a population of 40,500 at the end of 2009.-History:...
, Eilat, Rosh PinnaRosh PinnaRosh Pinna is a town of approximately 2,500 people located in the Upper Galilee on the eastern slopes of Mount Kna'anin, the Northern District of Israel. The town was founded in 1882 by thirty immigrant families from Romania, making it one of the oldest Zionist settlements in Israel...
, NahariyaNahariyaNahariya is the northernmost coastal city in Israel, with an estimated population of 51,200.-History:Nahariya was founded by German Jewish immigrants from the Fifth Aliyah in the 1930s...
, DimonaDimonaDimona is an Israeli city in the Negev desert, to the south of Beersheba and west of the Dead Sea above the Arava valley in the Southern District of Israel. Its population at the end of 2007 was 33,600.-History:...
, Petah TikvaPetah TikvaPetah Tikva known as Em HaMoshavot , is a city in the Center District of Israel, east of Tel Aviv.According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, at the end of 2009, the city's population stood at 209,600. The population density is approximately...
, Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'utModi'in-Maccabim-Re'utModi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut is a city in the Center District of Israel located approximately halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. It was formed in 2003 by the merger of Modi'in and Maccabim-Re'ut...
, Beit She'an, NetanyaNetanyaNetanya is a city in the Northern Centre District of Israel, and is the capital of the surrounding Sharon plain. It is located north of Tel Aviv, and south of Haifa between the 'Poleg' stream and Wingate Institute in the south and the 'Avichail' stream in the north.Its of beaches have made the...
, Ramat HaSharonRamat HasharonRamat HaSharon is a city located on Israel's central coastal strip in the south of the Sharon region, bordering Tel Aviv to the south and Herzliya and Kibbutz Glil Yam to the north. It is part of the Tel Aviv District, within Gush Dan metropolitan area...
, Hod HaSharonHod HaSharonHod HaSharon is a city in the Center District of Israel.Officially declared a city in 1990, Hod HaSharon was created from the union in 1964 of four neighboring villages: Magdiel, Ramatayim, Hadar, and Ramat Hadar...
, Rishon LeZion, Beit Shemesh, and AshkelonAshkelonAshkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
.
- 22 August 2011: The activists, including Daphne Leef, decided to take over abandoned buildings. Tens of activists, including members of Knesset Dov KheninDov KheninDov Khenin is an Israeli political-scientist, lawyer, and member of the Knesset for the leftist Hadash party. He is a member of the central committee of Maki , an activist for socio-economic equality and an environmentalist...
(HadashHadashHadash is a Jewish and Arab socialist front of organizations that runs for the Israeli parliament. It currently has four members in the 120-seat Knesset.-Background:...
) and Nitzan HorowitzNitzan HorowitzNitzan Horowitz is an Israeli journalist and politician. He was the Foreign Affairs commentator and head of the International desk at News 10, the news division of Channel 10, before being elected to the Knesset on the New Movement-Meretz list in 2009....
(New Movement – Meretz) stormed a building on Dov Hoz street in Tel Aviv and waved placards calling for affordable housing. - 26 August 2011: Protesters occupied a second abandoned building in Tel Aviv, on Bialik St., and had planned on staying longer but removed soon after and the building sealed by police.
- 27 August 2011: In Tel Aviv, around 10,000 protesters marched from Habima Square to the intersection of Ibn Gvirol and Shaul Hamelech streets, where a rally was held.
September
- 3 September: A protest billed as the "March of the Million" sees an estimated 460,000 people taking to the streets throughout the country, 300,000 of which in Tel Aviv.
- 6-7 September: The Tel Aviv municipality visits tent sites and posts notices that the area needs to be evacuated. Early next morning, city workers arrive to clear tents and other items and are called "Nazis in city hall uniforms" by activists. There were also violent demonstrations at the Tel Aviv city hall against the evacuation of the tents and over 30 activists were arrested.
- 27 September: In press conference, protesters warned Prime Minister Netanyahu that he has a month to make "real and serious recommendations” or “on October 29, just before the Knesset returns to session, we will take to the streets in full force. This year we will take the country back into our hands, rock and roll."
October
- 3 October: The symbol of the protest movement, the tent encampment on Tel Aviv Rothschild Boulevard, was dismantled by police.
- 15 October: An "occupy Tel Aviv" protest held on Rothschild. Several hundred gathered at Tel Aviv Museum plaza where opinions are voiced in "Hyde Park" speakers corner.
- 29 October: With renewed vigor, tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of most Israeli cities, except for Bersheva, which had just been gratutitously bombed by Hamas in Gaza.
Cities and regions
Tel AvivTel Aviv has been at the epicenter of much of the crisis and has experienced ongoing protests every day from 14 July 2011 onwards. The largest protests were held in downtown Tel Aviv, which has been considered the protest movement's most effective symbol. Hundreds of thousands of people have been estimated to participate in the protests rallies in Tel Aviv.
Rishon-Lezion
Some tents were established at Rishon-Lezion's municipal park already in late July 2011.
Jerusalem
Haifa and the North District
North District (Israel)
The Northern District is one of Israel's six administrative districts. The Northern District has a land area of 4,478 km², which increases to 4,638 km² when both land and water are included...
On August 13, 2011 circa 25,000 people turned out to demonstrate in the Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
downtown protest.
Beersheba and the Southern District
On August 13, 2011 more than 20,000 people turned out to demonstrate in Beersheba
Beersheba
Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
.
Holon
There were approximately 10 illegally built shacks in Jessie Cohen neighborhood in Holon, built by people from the lower class. On September 7th the shacks were evacuated.
Government reactions
The Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu initially reacted to the protests by stating that he is aware of the crisis, and that "the government is working to fix the plague that haunts us for many years. We are a small country, there is great demand and not enough apartments. Help me pass the reform in the Israel Lands Administration". Netanyahu also clarified that "It would take between a year to three years until we would begin seeing results."Government housing plans
On 26 July 2011, Prime Minister Netanyahu announced a new housing plan, including significant incentives for contractors who build smaller apartments, rent-earmarked housing and student housing, and plans to add 50,000 apartments to Israel's housing market over the next two years. The plan would allow contractors to purchase land from the Israel Land AdministrationIsrael Land Administration
The Israel Land Administration is part of the government of Israel and is responsible for managing the 93% of the land in Israel which is in the public domain. These lands are either property of the state, belong to the Jewish National Fund which controls 13% of the land, or belong to the Israel...
up to 50% cheaper if they agree to build small apartments. Contractors bidding on rent-earmarked housing projects would be obligated to rent out 50% of their apartments built for a period of at least ten years, at 30% of their current value, and would be allowed to sell the other 50% of apartments at a price they can set. Contractors would be allowed to raise rent rates annually, in accordance with the consumer price index
Consumer price index
A consumer price index measures changes in the price level of consumer goods and services purchased by households. The CPI, in the United States is defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as "a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of...
. Contractors and land developers who build student housing would be given land for free, but would have to agree to government-supervised rent rates for twenty years. Netanyahu's plan also called for six newly appointed national housing boards to authorize housing projects with little bureaucracy. The boards' mandate would be reviewed every eighteen months. Netanyahu also said that the government would promote the construction of 10,000 housing units for students, and would subsidize students' transportation to allow them to seek housing further away from universities.
Trajtenberg Committee
On 8 August 2011, Prime Minister Netanyahu appointed a committee to pinpoint and propose solutions to Israel's socioeconomic problems. The committee's task was to hold discussions with "different groups and sectors within the public", and subsequently make proposals to the government's socioeconomic cabinet, headed by Finance Minister Yuval SteinitzYuval Steinitz
Yuval Steinitz , is an Israeli academic and politician who has been a Knesset member for Likud since 1999. He is now the Finance Minister of Israel.-Biography:...
. Professor Manuel Trajtenberg
Manuel Trajtenberg
Prof. Manuel Trajtenberg is an Israeli economist, chair of the Planning and Budgeting Committee of the Council for Higher Education in Israel...
, chairman of the Planning and Budgeting Committee of the Council for Higher Education, former head of the National Economic Council, and the former Chief Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister, was appointed to head the committee. The committee consists of 14 members, 10 of whom are government or public officials.
Protest leadership
The 2011 Israeli housing protests have no formal leadership.Amongst the most prominent activists in the protests are Daphne Leef, Orly Weisselberg, Roee Neuman, Yigal Rambam, Stav Shaffir, Jonathan Levy, Jonathan Miller, Regev Kontas, Adam Dovz'insky, Baruch Oren and Boaz Gaon. Actively contributing and supporting the protests were newspaper columnists Roy Arad
Roy Arad
Roy "Chicky" Arad is an Israeli poet, singer, script-writer and artist.-Poetry:Arad has published three books. In his first book, “The Nigger”, he formed a style that he called "Kimo" and defined as "a Hebrew adaptation of the Japanese Haiku": it consists of three lines of 10, 7, and 6 syllables...
and Shlomo Kraus.
Adam Dovz'insky, who took a prominent part at the beginning of the protests with a hunger strike that ended when he collapsed and needed medical attention, would later declare that the Rothschild Blvd leadership does not want solutions but rather to topple the Netanyahu government, that the protests seemed to be the end themselves, not a means toward achieve negotiations. Dovz'insky also said he had information connected the protests with European anarchists.
Demands of the protesters
The initial objective of the leaders of the protest movement focused on reducing the costs of housing in Israel. For the most part, the protest leadership has declared that they would not offer any concrete solutions to the crisis on the grounds that it is not their role, but the government's role. However, the demonstrators in Tel Aviv have promised to work together with the Knesset members and other decision makers to promote legislation aimed at protecting apartment renters against exploitation of their hardships by landlords, in a way that would correspond to similar legislation worldwide. At some of the public events, protesters call revolution, for Netanyahu's resignation, and the downfall of the government.Nevertheless, in August 2011, as the protests grew significantly, the demands became more radical as they began to call for a sweeping overhaul of the Israeli economy and society which would change the current Neo liberal approach of the Netanyahu government to a more social approach. The list of demands for broader changes in the Israeli society and governance, articulated by protesters and activists, includes the following:
| Demand | Ref |
|---|---|
| 1. A new taxation system would be implemented (which would include lower indirect taxes and higher direct taxes). | |
| 2. Free schooling Free education Free education refers to education that is funded through taxation, or charitable organizations rather than tuition fees. Although primary school and other comprehensive or compulsory education is free in many countries, for example, all education is mostly free including... from an early age. |
|
| 3. Privatization Privatization Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations... of state-owned enterprises would end. |
|
| 4. More resources would be invested on public housing Public housing Public housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is owned by a government authority, which may be central or local. Social housing is an umbrella term referring to rental housing which may be owned and managed by the state, by non-profit organizations, or by a combination of the... and public transportation. |
Organizations and individuals who have joined the protest
Many movements and organizations have joined the protest. According to the Israeli newspaper "Israel HaYomIsrael HaYom
Israel HaYom is an Israeli national Hebrew-language free daily newspaper first published on July 30, 2007 and currently published in Tabloid format. The name is a variation of the popular USA Today, though there is no relation between the two publications...
", two weeks prior to the protest, the Israeli social movement "The National Left" sought people on Facebook "who have unreasonable rent fees" to start a campaign to lower the cost of housing for young people. On the day on which the protest began, the "The National Left" movement called its activists to get to the Rothschild Boulevard, and organized the delivery of 20 tents to the encampment. In an interview with the Israeli morning show "HaOlam HaBoker" the chairman of the movement, Eldad Yaniv, addressed "Israel HaYom"'s report and explained that the movement "organizes many protests like this throughout country and it just happened that this one became popular". Several activists posted Daphne Leef's call on the movement's web site and invited their friends to join the encampment. The movement also initiated the establishment of a website to accompany the protest and assisted in managing the encampment, in part by the introduction of "popular assemblies" for making decisions on the conduct of the protest.
The protest also gained support from the National Union of Israeli Students
National Union of Israeli Students
The National Union of Israeli Students is the national representative body of university students in Israel.-Members:...
and the local student unions throughout Israel, who helped establish the encampments and organized transportation to the demonstration in Tel Aviv. The Jewish U.S.-based non-profit organization "New Israel Fund
New Israel Fund
The New Israel Fund is a U.S. based non-profit organization established in 1979, and describes its objective as social justice and equality for all Israelis.-Ideology:...
" gave guidance and logistical support to the encampments in Kiryat Shmona
Kiryat Shmona
Kiryat Shmona is a city located in the North District of Israel on the western slopes of the Hula Valley on the Lebanese border. The city was named for the eight people, including Joseph Trumpeldor, who died in 1920 defending Tel Hai....
, Be'er Sheva and elsewhere. The head of the Shatil activist wing of the New Israel Fund admitted that the group was working behind the scenes and coordinating multiple tent locations and published a report on its activities.
The Zionist extra-parliamentary group "Im Tirtzu
Im Tirtzu
Im Tirtzu is a Zionist extra-parliamentary group based in Israel. Its name is based on a phrase by Theodor Herzl – "אם תרצו, אין זו אגדה" or "If you will it, it is no dream."-NIF report:...
", which initially supported the protests, later announced that it would stop its involvement due to the participation of the "New Israel Fund". The Bnei Akiva
Bnei Akiva
Bnei Akiva is the largest religious Zionist youth movement in the world, with over 125,000 members in 37 countries. It was established in Mandate Palestine in 1929.-History:...
and the "Rannim" movements (both of the religious Zionism) announced that they would also stop their involvement in the protests in Tel Aviv. The "Rannim" movement later announced it would continue its participation in the protest but only in the Jerusalem encampment.
The protests were also joined by "The Coalition for Affordable Housing" and "The Headquarters for a Liable Housing" who bind the following organizations: Association for Civil Rights in Israel
Association for Civil Rights in Israel
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel was created as an independent non-partisan organization to protect human rights and civil rights in Israel and the territories under its control....
, Bimkom
Bimkom
Bimkom - Planners for Planning Rights is an Israeli non-profit organization established in May 1999 by planners and architects seeking to address human rights concerns in their spatial and urban designs. Bimkom's goals include retroactively legalizing illegal construction in Arab neighborhoods...
, Women Lawyers for Social Justice, Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel
Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel
The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel , or SPNI, is an Israeli non-profit environmental organization working to preserve plants, animals, and natural environments that represent bio-diversity, by protecting the lands and waters needed for their survival, and is Israel's oldest and...
, Movement for Quality Government in Israel
Movement for Quality Government in Israel
The Movement for Quality Government in Israel is an Israeli non-profit organization numbering about 17,000 members. Formed as a protest movement on March 1990 during the coalitionary crisis, it is today the leading public petitioner to the Supreme Court of Israel.The organization is an influential...
, Greenpeace Israel
Greenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
, Mizrahi Democratic Rainbow Coalition
Mizrahi Democratic Rainbow Coalition
The Mizrahi Democratic Rainbow Coalition is a social justice organization among Mizrahi Jews in Israel....
and the Israel Union for Environmental Defense
Israel Union for Environmental Defense
-Tel Aviv islands:In November 2002 the Israeli Government appointed a six-member committee to explore the financial feasibility of creating two islands off the coast of Tel Aviv. One of the islands would be for an airport, similar to the Kobe airport in Japan, and the other island would have...
. Additional organizations who joined the protests include the "Koach La Ovdim" General trade union, the Socialist–Zionist youth movements HaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed
Hanoar Haoved Vehalomed
Histadrut HaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed , sometimes abbreiviated to No'al is an Israeli youth movement, a sister movement of Habonim Dror, the Labor Zionist movement....
and Hashomer Hatzair
Hashomer Hatzair
Hashomer Hatzair is a Socialist–Zionist youth movement founded in 1913 in Galicia, Austria-Hungary, and was also the name of the group's political party in the Yishuv in the pre-1948 British Mandate of Palestine...
, the non-Zionist left-wing organization Ma'avak Sotzialisti the Israeli human rights organization Rabbis for Human Rights
Rabbis for Human Rights
Rabbis for Human Rights-Israel is an Israeli human rights organisation describing itself as "the rabbinic voice of conscience in Israel, giving voice to the Jewish tradition of human rights"....
, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel
Physicians for Human Rights-Israel
Physicians for Human Rights-Israel , known in Israel as PHR-I, is a non-governmental, non-profit, humanitarian organization based in Jaffa...
, and the political parties Meretz and Hadash
Hadash
Hadash is a Jewish and Arab socialist front of organizations that runs for the Israeli parliament. It currently has four members in the 120-seat Knesset.-Background:...
.
The protests also gained the support of various Israeli mayors and local councils, including the mayor of Tel Aviv Ron Huldai
Ron Huldai
Ron Huldai is an Israeli politician, academic administrator, former fighter pilot and current mayor of Tel Aviv. He was born in 1944 in Hulda to Polish parents from Łódź. He is a history graduate of Tel Aviv University, Auburn University Montgomery , the U.S...
, the mayor of Jerusalem Nir Barkat and the chairman of the Union of Local Authorities in Israel, Shlomo Bohbot
Shlomo Bohbot
Shlomo Bohbot is an Israeli politician who has been mayor of Ma'alot-Tarshiha since 1976, and also served as a member of the Knesset for the Labor Party between 1992 and 1996.-Biography:...
. Knesset members from both the coalition and the opposition have expressed their support for the struggle; some even visited the various protest encampments. Two weeks after the start of the protest, the chairman of the Histadrut
Histadrut
HaHistadrut HaKlalit shel HaOvdim B'Eretz Yisrael , known as the Histadrut, is Israel's organization of trade unions. Established in December 1920 during the British Mandate for Palestine, it became one of the most powerful institutions of the State of Israel.-History:The Histadrut was founded in...
, Ofer Eini, met with protest leaders and announced that the Histadrut would assist them in their contacts with the government.
Jimmy Wales
Jimmy Wales
Jimmy Donal "Jimbo" Wales is an American Internet entrepreneur best known as a co-founder and promoter of the online non-profit encyclopedia Wikipedia and the Wikia company....
, a co-founder of Wikipedia
Wikipedia
Wikipedia is a free, web-based, collaborative, multilingual encyclopedia project supported by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation. Its 20 million articles have been written collaboratively by volunteers around the world. Almost all of its articles can be edited by anyone with access to the site,...
, visited the tent cities in Tel Aviv where the protests were taking place. He said, "It's wonderful that in the democracy here, people have the right to go out and express their opinion. I do not know if I agree with the protest or not, because I'm not familiar with the economic and social situation in Israel, but the very fact that freedom of speech and discourse are free in Israel is remarkable."
Public opinion
According to a poll by Channel 10 on 2 August 2011, there is broad public support for the protesters, including 98% of Kadima supporters, and 85% of Netanyahu's Likud supporters.Along with the massive support the housing protest has gained, as the protest kept developing and, various public figures and organizations, mostly affiliated with the political right in Israel, gradually increased their criticism of the protests and their organizers. Most of the criticism has focused on the allegations that the protests were not spontaneous, and that they were scheduled and planned by various left-wing media and political organizations in Israel. It is alleged that these organizations exploited the protests initiated by Daphne Leef as well as the economic distress that exists among large sections of the Israeli public in order to promote a political agenda that they finance, and which is primarily designed to overthrow the current right-wing government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is the current Prime Minister of Israel. He serves also as the Chairman of the Likud Party, as a Knesset member, as the Health Minister of Israel, as the Pensioner Affairs Minister of Israel and as the Economic Strategy Minister of Israel.Netanyahu is the first and, to...
; it is alleged that finding actual solutions to the housing crises in Israel is only a secondary concern. The Tel-Aviv city hall was criticized for indirectly supporting the protests at 40,000ILS per day, price including electricity and clean services. While the protests in general have been peaceful, some incidents of violence have been reported. On 4 August 2011, two activists were arrested following an attempt to burn down the tent of right-wing activists participating at the Rothschild location. At a press conference held on July 26, 2011 Daphne Leef responded to the various allegations made against her and the protest organizers and stated the following:
Political
- The mayor of Jerusalem Nir Barkat stated that "the government must produce affordable housing" and that "I expect the government and the Israel Lands Administration to take responsibility for the matter." Barkat pointed to the model which was pioneered by the Jerusalem Municipality, which allows young people to live in affordable housing in Jerusalem.
- The mayor of Tel Aviv Ron HuldaiRon HuldaiRon Huldai is an Israeli politician, academic administrator, former fighter pilot and current mayor of Tel Aviv. He was born in 1944 in Hulda to Polish parents from Łódź. He is a history graduate of Tel Aviv University, Auburn University Montgomery , the U.S...
also declared that "the tent demonstrations are justified and appropriate" and that "the [central] government is abandoning social issues to market forces."
- MK Nitzan HorowitzNitzan HorowitzNitzan Horowitz is an Israeli journalist and politician. He was the Foreign Affairs commentator and head of the International desk at News 10, the news division of Channel 10, before being elected to the Knesset on the New Movement-Meretz list in 2009....
of Meretz showed his support in the protests and referred to the protesters as "the new homeless people of Netanyahu and Finance Minister Yuval SteinitzYuval SteinitzYuval Steinitz , is an Israeli academic and politician who has been a Knesset member for Likud since 1999. He is now the Finance Minister of Israel.-Biography:...
." Fellow MK Isaac Herzog of the Labour party stated that "all efforts to encourage affordable housing construction in Tel Aviv fail due to the resistance of the Israeli Finance ministry, the Israel Lands Administration, the Israeli ministers and due to the position of the prime minister against government intervention of market prices," and that "it's time to examine an intervention." Herzog also stated that "you deserve not only to eat cottage, but also to build a cottage."
- Protest organizers and opposition MKs such as Shelly Yachimovich of the Labor party dismissed Prime Minister Netanyahu's proposed reforms as "spin", and accused the Prime Minister of using the housing crisis as a cover to advance his program of land privatization. At the same time, green organizations have warned that Netanyahu's proposals would lead to the destruction of open spaces in the centre of the country by land developers, and the removal of community input into the land development process.
- Knesset Speaker Reuven RivlinReuven RivlinReuven "Rubi" Rivlin is an Israeli lawyer, politician, currently serving as a speaker of the Knesset. He belongs to conservative Likud. A former Speaker of the Knesset, in 2007 he ran in the election for President as the Likud candidate...
announced that it is necessary to keep a free marketFree marketA free market is a competitive market where prices are determined by supply and demand. However, the term is also commonly used for markets in which economic intervention and regulation by the state is limited to tax collection, and enforcement of private ownership and contracts...
in Israel and to be careful that the protest activists won't lead Israel towards the path of destruction and anarchyAnarchyAnarchy , has more than one colloquial definition. In the United States, the term "anarchy" typically is meant to refer to a society which lacks publicly recognized government or violently enforced political authority...
.
- Israeli minister Benny Begin also criticized the protests, stating that it is a political struggle "with speech writers", aimed at overthrowing the Prime Minister of Israel, under the guise of protesting housing issues which "did not develop recently, and which would not be solved any time soon". Another government minister, Yuli Edelstein stated that among the organizers there are "anarchists associated with the Communist PartyCommunist partyA political party described as a Communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of communism through a communist form of government...
, Little foxFoxFox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
es whom hang out along the protesters. They call Israel a fascist state, and this just shows how much they do not care for the protests."
- David Amar, the Mayor of NesherNesherNesher is a city in the Haifa District of Israel. In 2011, Nesher had a population of 23,000. The mayor of Nesher is David Amar.-Etymology:...
, attacked the inhabitants of the encampment in Rothschild stating that "You're going through the Rothschild boulevard in at 1:30 AM and all you can see is HookahHookahA hookah A hookah(Gujarati હૂકાહ) A hookah(Gujarati હૂકાહ) (Hindustani: हुक़्क़ा (Devanagari, (Nastaleeq) huqqah) also known as a waterpipe or narghile, is a single or multi-stemmed (often glass-based) instrument for smoking in which the smoke is cooled by water. The tobacco smoked is referred to...
s and sushiSushiis a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients . Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari...
. If they bring Sushi worth 35 NIS to the encampment - it indicates that their situation is not particularly difficult. This is not a protest".
- Knesset member Miri RegevMiri RegevMiriam "Miri" Regev is an Israeli politician and a former Brigadier General in the army. She currently serves as a member of the Knesset for Likud, having previously worked as the IDF Spokeswoman.-Biography:...
has stated that Daphne Leef "represents the extreme left". In response, Leef stated that she felt embarrassed about the violent confrontation which occurred during Regev's visit to the encampment; however, Leef emphasized that contrary to Regev's belief, the protests were first and foremost a social struggle and not a political one.
- On July 20, 2011, "Im TirtzuIm TirtzuIm Tirtzu is a Zionist extra-parliamentary group based in Israel. Its name is based on a phrase by Theodor Herzl – "אם תרצו, אין זו אגדה" or "If you will it, it is no dream."-NIF report:...
" (אם תרצו) announced that they would not take part in the housing protests any more because they claimed that the New Israel FundNew Israel FundThe New Israel Fund is a U.S. based non-profit organization established in 1979, and describes its objective as social justice and equality for all Israelis.-Ideology:...
and various radical left-wing groups are directly involved in the housing protests. Officials in the organization Stated that "Daphne Leef's struggle, who is perceived in the media as the initiator of the struggle, is actually a video editor working for the NIF and Shatil."
- In September 2011, Knesset member Aryeh Eldad said that 'there is no doubt that the extreme-left and post-zionists are funding the protests. The thousands who are protesting their plight do not understand that they are marionettes in a game larger than housing costs and baby strollers'.
- Shimon ShevesShimon ShevesShimon Sheves was the General Director of the Israeli Prime Minister's office under the late Yizhak Rabin, between 1992 and 1995. Sheves now serves as a political advisor to governments and to political leaders around the world...
, former General Director of the Office of the Prime MinisterOffice of the Prime Minister (Israel)Office of the Prime Minister is the governmental ministration office with the responsibility of coordinating the actions of the work of all governmental ministry offices, on various matters, and serving and assisting the Israeli Prime Minister in his daily work...
under Yitzhak RabinYitzhak Rabin' was an Israeli politician, statesman and general. He was the fifth Prime Minister of Israel, serving two terms in office, 1974–77 and 1992 until his assassination in 1995....
and former Israeli Labor Party activist, confirmed that a new political party was being formed in the aftermath of the summer protests but refused to reveal names other than that it would be people from the National Left organization. Disenchanted with the Labor party, he affirmed that he would stand behind the new party.
Religious figures
- The prominent Israeli modern orthodox rabbiRabbiIn Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
Yuval SherloYuval SherloRabbi Yuval Sherlo is a modern orthodox rabbi and posek. He is Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Hesder Petah Tikva in Petah Tikva, Israel. Sherlo was one of the founders of Tzohar, an organization of modern orthodox rabbis in Israel. He is a prominent and charismatic rabbi, noted for his willingness to...
stated that in his opinion the protest movement has become anarchist in nature and therefore he personally finds it difficult to relate with it. He stated that the protest organizers need to change course: "After a big burst of justified pain and anger, without which the troubling issues would not have not been brought up on to the agenda, the protests have been exhausted". Sherlo stated that despite the wide public criticism raised against the Netanyahu government, "this government has done quite a few good things to promote employment, balance payments, and is responsible for the fact that Israel's macro-economic situation is quite good". Later on, Sherlo gave a speech in the movement's protest rally in Jerusalem in which he called on Prime Minister Netanyahu "to embrace these people".
- On August 16, 2011 prominent Israeli orthodoxOrthodox JudaismOrthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
rabbiRabbiIn Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
Israel Meir Lau, who is the former AshkenaziAshkenazi JewsAshkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim , are the Jews descended from the medieval Jewish communities along the Rhine in Germany from Alsace in the south to the Rhineland in the north. Ashkenaz is the medieval Hebrew name for this region and thus for Germany...
Chief Rabbi of IsraelChief Rabbinate of IsraelThe Chief Rabbinate of Israel is recognized by law as the supreme halakhic and spiritual authority for the Jewish people in Israel. The Chief Rabbinate Council assists the two chief rabbis, who alternate in its presidency. It has legal and administrative authority to organize religious...
and current Chief RabbiChief RabbiChief Rabbi is a title given in several countries to the recognized religious leader of that country's Jewish community, or to a rabbinic leader appointed by the local secular authorities...
of Tel AvivTel AvivTel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, held a discussion on the ongoing protests with representatives from the National Union of Israeli Students at the offices of the Rabbinate in Tel Aviv. Lau noted that the protest movement is unprecedented in Israel, and added that "this is the first time I remember ever having seen this many people who didn’t know each other before, coming together – outside of a time of war. You have captured my heart." In addition, Lau promised to contact Prime Minister Netanyahu personally and tell him to honor the mandate of the Trachtenberg committee and accept its recommendations.
Media
- Ben-Dror Yemini, an editor at MaarivMaarivMaariv is a Hebrew language daily newspaper published in Israel. It is second in sales after Yedioth Ahronoth and third in readership after Yedioth Ahronoth and Israel HaYom. In a TGI survey comparing the last half of 2009 with the same period in 2008, Maariv saw its market share fall slightly...
, used his 26 August 2011 weekend column to report a strong left-wing turn of the protests that would attempt to connect the 'social justice' to the events leading up to anticipated September protests on the West Bank. Yemini revealed an agreement summarized after protest leaders met with left-wing leaders and anarchists including the heads of The National Left and Peace Now to discuss combining activities such as marches to the 'border' and to bring the Palestinians into the protest.
- Shay Golden, the assistant editor in chief of Maariv and former editor at the Haaretz newspaper has said that he has been made an enemy of the protests since he criticized the media coverage. He accused his media colleagues of forgetting their journalistic responsibilities and subsequtnly becoming spokespeople for the protests, and silencing opposing voices.
- Yair LapidYair LapidYair Lapid is an Israeli journalist, author, TV presenter, and news anchor.-Biography:He is the son of politician Yosef Lapid and author...
, a journalist and television personality, has supported the protest since its first days. During the second week of the protest, he published an article in his weekly Yedioth AhronothYedioth AhronothYedioth Ahronoth is a daily newspaper published in Tel Aviv, Israel. Since the 1970s, it has been the most widely circulated paper in Israel. In a TGI survey comparing the last half of 2009 with the same period in 2008, Yedioth Ahronoth retained the title of most widely read newspaper in Israel...
column titled "The Slaves Revolt" (a pun on Ayn Rand's Atlas ShruggedAtlas ShruggedAtlas Shrugged is a novel by Ayn Rand, first published in 1957 in the United States. Rand's fourth and last novel, it was also her longest, and the one she considered to be her magnum opus in the realm of fiction writing...
titled in Israel The Titans Revolt Mered Hanefilim, מרד הנפילים), where he sympathized with the protestors and implicitly blamed the Netanyahu government for its unjust allocation of resources. A month later, he had published a draft for a social contract, defined as an attempt to phrase the principles of a new, civil agenda. The contract, based on the Ten CommandmentsTen CommandmentsThe Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
, called for anti ostentation and exaggerated emphasis of the differences between rich and poor, and protestation against the greediness of large corporations who only care about the bottom line
See also
- Israeli housing crisis
- Impact of the Arab Spring
- 15 October 2011 global protests15 October 2011 global protestsThe 15 October 2011 global protests were part of a series of protests inspired by the Arab Spring, the Spanish "Indignants", the Greek Protests and the Occupy movement. Global demonstrations were held on October 15 in more than 950 cities 82 countries. The date was chosen to coincide with the 5...
- Iceland Kitchenware Revolution
- 2010–2011 Greek protests2010–2011 Greek protestsThe 2010–2011 Greek protests are an ongoing series of demonstrations and general strikes taking place across Greece. The protests, which began on 5 May 2010, were sparked by plans to cut public spending and raise taxes as austerity measures in exchange for a bail-out, aimed at solving the...
- Spanish 15M Indignants movement2011 Spanish protestsThe 2011 Spanish protests, also referred to as the 15-M Movement and the Indignants movement, are a series of ongoing demonstrations in Spain whose origin can be traced to social networks and Real Democracy NOW among other civilian digital platforms and 200 other small associations...
- 2011 United Kingdom anti-austerity protests2011 United Kingdom anti-austerity protestsThe 2011 United Kingdom anti-austerity protests were a series of anti-austerity protests that took place in the United Kingdom in early 2011...
- 2011 Chilean protests2011 Chilean protestsThe 2011 Chilean protests,Chilean Winter or Chilean Education Conflict are a series of ongoing student-led protests across Chile, demanding a new framework for education in Chile, including more direct state participation in secondary education and an end to the existence of profit...
- Occupy Wall StreetOccupy Wall StreetOccupy Wall Street is an ongoing series of demonstrations initiated by the Canadian activist group Adbusters which began September 17, 2011 in Zuccotti Park, located in New York City's Wall Street financial district...
- "Occupy" protests
- Protests of 1968Protests of 1968The protests of 1968 consisted of a worldwide series of protests, largely participated in by students and workers.-Background:Background speculations of overall causality vary about the political protests centering on the year 1968. Some argue that protests could be attributed to the social changes...
External links
- The official website of the protest organizers (Hebrew)
- The protests Facebook page
- Shatil and Israel's New Awakening
Collected coverage
- Social justice protests collected coverage at Jerusalem Post
- Israeli housing protests collected coverage at HaaretzHaaretzHaaretz is Israel's oldest daily newspaper. It was founded in 1918 and is now published in both Hebrew and English in Berliner format. The English edition is published and sold together with the International Herald Tribune. Both Hebrew and English editions can be read on the Internet...