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Masses march for social change
Ynet reporters
Published: 30.07.11, 22:53
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91 Talkbacks for this article
1. this government is despicable
JL   (07.30.11)
2. Political Nonsense. Ignore Them.
Reuven Brauner ,   Raanana, Israel   (07.30.11)
They are just having childish summer fun.
3. the racist left with their red flags are a shame
avi   (07.30.11)
4. JL #1
Tzipile ,   Tel Aviv   (07.30.11)
Yea.. you are right.. let's bring Amir Peretz back...This whole thing is pathetic. Unemployment stands at 5.8% lowest in 20 years.. Who did it? Eini? Mitzna? Mofaz? Livni? This is all political.. and if we go to the polls to elect a new government... Leiberman will be the winner, and I will vote for him. The Left is finished...
5. Go ahead, guys
Salma ,   Palestine   (07.30.11)
Netanyahu government's days are numbered.
6. #4..i voted for leiberman in the last vote
JL   (07.30.11)
7. Protest 'cause the left will not win an election again
rebecca ,   Modiin   (07.30.11)
8. Despicable
British Oleh ,   Israel   (07.30.11)
When a single mother earns 6000 shekels a month and her rent is 4000 shekels, there's something wrong. What's the solution? She goes and lives 2 hours away from her work and her kid roams free on the streets and gets in with the wrong crowd, there's something wrong. She gets to retirement age with no savings and her rent is too high, she's out on the streets… THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG!
9. 2
Birdi ,   Israel   (07.30.11)
"Childish fun??" Yes sure its fun when your salary doesnt stretch through to the end of the month & when you cant afford to buy a home for your family etc etc etc. Maybe you dont feel the pinch in Ra'anna; lucky you. There are thousands & thousands of decent Israelis who deserve better & I agree with these protests 100% & I wish them all good luck,
10. to British Oleh
Cool Air from Canada ,   Canada   (07.30.11)
There is something wrong with a single mother earning six thousand shekels and paying 4,000 for rent. However, it is compounded by her lifestyle choices. Time was she would be married or not expect to raise a child as a single mother on a low salary. In highly expensive cities like Tel Aviv you really do need to be well planned and not only expect the government to wave its magic wand and sprinkle pixie dust on her and make her problems go away. Her choices are live in a smaller town and work in the same town, or get a better education and higher paying job or live together with another person who is earning money or perhaps to start her own business. There are many personal choices she can make but expect that someone else will solve her problems by re-distributing money is somewhat naive. Didn't work in idealistic socialism and it won't work in materialistic Israel.
11. #9 Birdi
American Sabrah ,   Israel   (07.30.11)
The problem is that these protesters want the government to take care of them without the government's intervention. You can't have it both ways.The government can't be socialistic and capitalistic at the same time.They want Israel to descend into a welfare state at the expense of the tax payer. Yes the rent is too high but what else do you expect from a non economic free government? I suggest that the cartels be broken down.Everyone deserves a better life but that's something you have to earn on your own.These protesters need to grow up and live with reality.
12. Thousands march for social change.
Sean ,   Elkmont, Alabama, US   (07.30.11)
Beat back the 'social justice' crowd with a stick if you have to. Social Justice is Communism in religious robes. Nowhere has G_d ever commanded to use the force of government to compel your neighbor to do what you deem 'good'.
13. Doing what the Frontline Confrontation
Gideon Reader ,   USA   (07.30.11)
States and "Armed Islamic resistance Groups" could not do, these gatherings, sitdown tenters; clamoring for government subsidazation and or control of costs of housing, food, razor blades, contact lenses, shampoo, and tschug (Red of course) are bringing to Israel what the professional anti-semites of Europe and the Islamic salafists could never bring. Internal rot generated by those who bear it in their socialist DNA. These excremental members of the wannabe entitlement society will not be happy until they have a dream/nightmare that recalls the drear old days of the USSR.
14. Changes need to be made
Rachel ,   US   (07.30.11)
Remove tariffs, lower taxes, take on the cartels, reform ILA and Healthcare. But did Kadima do any of these things?
15. They think this may work better than Sara Nethanyahu..???
tom ,   tel aviv   (07.30.11)
16. #2 and #3
Stan ,   Israel   (07.30.11)
To #2 Over 25% of Israelis are poor. (According to statistics put out by the government) and God knows how many more barely make ends meet, and you Reuven think that they are playing games.YOU ARE DESPICABLE To # 3 "racist left" ????? You are mixed up arn't you ? All over the world its the Right Wing who are racist and the Left are always more tolerant .
17. 11
Birdi ,   Israel   (07.30.11)
Very nice, good words but at the end of the day they are still hungry & cant provide because their salaries are way too low. Start with raising the basic salaries. Cut the way too high salaries our ministers, municipal workers & salaries the ''proteksia people'' earn. Changes have to start somewhere & higher salaries are a good beginning.
18. Mr Canada - you have no idea
British Oleh ,   Israel   (07.30.11)
The same old argument that the victim is to blame… the victim is NOT to blame - the system that allows her to be exploited is to blame.
19. J14- no one is left behind! social justice for all!!
J14   (07.30.11)
proud to be an Israeli today!!! keep it up guys!!! only in israel we can demonstrat without violence and bullets of a repressive regim!!!! GO ISRAEL!
20. 10
Birdi ,   Israel   (07.30.11)
Would be, could be, nope that doesnt solve the single mother's problem. She is a single mother, fact. She earns 6.000 sheqels, fact. Her rent is 4.000 sheqels, fact. She has 2.000 sheqels to pay her bills, food, clothes, her child's nursery or school,transport, fact. She struggles to live, fact. She is alone, without a partner, fact. Your advice is for her to find a husband or a partner ??? so she can make ends meet?? Thats really a shocker!
21. Peaceful demonstrators for change- j14
Liron ,   Israel   (07.30.11)
Israelis took the streets in demand for social justice for everybody! this is how a demonstration looks like in a democracy - love and music! I wish you could understand that too Salma...
22. Cool Air from Canada
Dara ,   Gadera, Israel   (07.30.11)
I'm also from Canada, Toronto in fact and made Aliya about 9.5 years ago. Taxes on cars here about about 100%, tax on gas is about 58%, day care per child is about $1 000 a month. I pay about 30% income tax and am not even in the top tax bracket. We have a 500NIS a annual tax just for owning a t.v. and in fact studies have shown that Israeli's pay about 78% more in than any other western country for property tax. When you get down to it, Israeli's are double and often times triple taxed on pretty much everything we pay for. I don't live in an expensive place, I don't even live in a city, I pay just a little over $1 000CDN for my two bedroom apartment. Gas costs me over $500 a month just to get to and from work. Now we have to have 40% of a down payment just to get an apartment. How much is the average apartment you as? Over 1 000 000NIS for two bedrooms! As for children, my husband and I don't have any because we simply can't afford them. I won't even get into the costs of diapers and formula over here. Until you live in Israel and work in Israel you have no right to judge anyone over here. Israelis pay socialist taxes for a capitalistic economy, people are fed up and the government needs to make changes, it's just that simple.
23. 18
Birdi ,   Israel   (07.30.11)
How do you expect Mr Canada to understand what life is really like here? He does not work, pay taxes, raise his kids,etc in Israel. It is so easy for others outside Israel to criticize. As # 19 says. Way to go Israel! These protests will only become larger & larger as time goes by & so they should.
24. 12
Birdi ,   Israel   (07.30.11)
Protesting is not forcing the Government The protesters are telling the Government they are fed up & want changes. They have their democratic right to protest whether you like it or not.
25. just housing and the jewish people.
cosmopolitist ,   our planet   (07.30.11)
the jewish people (and any other people/the entire mankind) have my sympathy and blessings for the fight for human/decent housing and for social justice.. let us do that job together too for progress and justice for everybody!
26. DEMONSTRATIONS
Rabbi M ,   Los Angeles, CA   (07.30.11)
At last, an Israeli awakening ! say Yes to social democracy that is truly in accord with Jewish ethical and social values, offers a place to live, free education and decent health care to all its citizens and No! to an American-style capitalism that polarizes the rich and poor.
27. #22
Ita ,   Israel   (07.30.11)
Why do you need a TV when you have a computer? That would save you 500 NIS right there. Why do you need a car when there is a very good bus system here.? Chances are you can buy a chofshi chodshi for around 500 NIS a month. and if you are only a couple then you could live in a one bedroom apt! And you could borrow for a down payment for an apartment . I pay 2,800 NIS for my mortgage for a three bedroom!!
28. 22 @ Dara
Birdi ,   Israel   (07.30.11)
Very well said Dara. Hang in there lady, its hard as hard, but once you make it here & I am sure you will, you will be hearing the pita pata of tiny feet!! Good luck to you Dara.
29. nothing, no marches
zin ,   tsfat   (07.30.11)
30. Finally ??
David ,   Israel   (07.30.11)
Could it be that the 'Arab Spring' has finally reached Israel? I sincerely hope that the Israeli public demand social equality, an end to the free hand outs to the Israeli ultra orthodox Jews, accountability of the Israeli armed forces and an end to army censorship of the public media. Above all I hope that the Israeli public demand an end to the brutal Israeli occupation of Palestinian land and the oppression of the Palestinian People. With any luck this upswing in public empowerment will bring the sea change that the rest of the world has been hoping to see in Israeli society and end the brutal rightwing totalitarianism that has existed for the last few decades.
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