that the social protest was bogus and did / does not reflect the reality nor the feelings of the real and majority Israeli public.

I thought Israelis couldn't afford the basics. I do agree though that once you have purchased the latest iPhone and handbag, gas prices are too high

I seriously doubt that Israel has seen the last episode of public protests for social justice. Social justice in Israel is always hostage to the conditions of hostility on our frontiers and the cost of managing threats to our national security means our social justice programmes and projects are deprived of funds. But there will be more protests. A lot of people are making a lot of money in the State of Israel and losing it too. Loss of private capital = loss of public profit. The future protests will bring more sophisticated ideas and arguments to the street. Don't imagine the Knesset is the only arena where Israelis bring about consensual change. The most social of all arenas is the street and the city square. I look forward to Israeli ingenuity calling out loud against Israeli disingenuousness. Soon there will be gas and oil revenues coming ashore from the mediterranean............. that will be extremely important to the wealth and well being of Israeli social justice.......... but I doubt those natural resources will be exploited sustainably without some public protest. Israelis protesting in public are setting a good example to Arabs and Palestinians too.

David, most Israelis can't afford food, gas, clothing, rent/mortgage payments, etc just as most Americans can't afford to live in NYC. What's your point?

That dress I want is to expensive. That book I want is to expensive. That cover for my iPhone is to expensive. That cup of coffee I want is to expensive. GET OUT YOUR TENTS AND BANNERS THIS IS A MAJOR SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUE. The country has become obsessed with social justice and everything from houses to gas prices and even chocolate bars have all been turned into social justice issues so when the malls get to expensive I don't think its likely we will be seeing some protestors out there.

@1 - Nava - too simplistic an answer! Israel is developing a class system based on income. Far too many employers are paying minimum wage (or close to it) on an hourly basis for many jobs yet giving an unenviable income of 5-6000 NIS per month (without holiday pay or sick pay, whilst at the other end there are many hi-tech employees earning 30-40000 NIS per month - these are the ones who can afford the Malls - not the average hourly paid workers!

Who are these people flocking to the malls to shop? Noone I know personally has money to spare for that, most are just putting food on the table,paying bills and shopping for clothes at the numerous Flea markets that have cropped up over the last few years.

In other words your encouraging mob rule rather than a democratic process. In a democracy you don't take to the streets if gas prices go up, chocolate bars are to expensive and all the other issues that people have been protesting about. Instead you cast a vote on election day for a party that you think most represents your interests ... its politicians who are given a mandate to make and change laws through an election not Daphne Leef in her tent. There is a place for protest on SOME like housing but its also getting out of control. You don't go protest when gas prices go up or because Israeli made chocolate bars are more expensive in Israel than the US. If we want to live in a democracy we have to accept that unelected groups of people with banners and a tent do not dictate what the law should be. You have ideas on changes you would like to see then why do something real about it like stand for election.

The people of a nation State do not and cannot exercise public pressure on their political establishment by staying at home and watching the television. Sometime we have to go out in public and raise our voice to be seen and heard. Have you not ever heard the phrase "politicians are corrupt"!? I am not saying they are all corrupt. What I am saying is that sometimes there is a real need for peaceful public demonstrations for consensus building. That is not mob rule. Israelis are not a mob. We are an intelligent society but our civilization is subject to the vagiaries of capitalism like any free market economy. So........ Change comes through cataclysm, disaster, but it can also come through consensus building. There are too many underpaid and over-exploited people in Israel. Waiting for the Knesset to change the balance of social justice is not the way to success. The State of Israel was not established by people who sat and prayed for it to happen. People had to go out in public and fight for it. I do not advocate a policy of violent disorder. I just believe well organized public demonstrations for consens building and institutional change are sometimes the expedient way forward. A peaceful, intelligent way forward. Or shall we all merely stay at home watch television, socialize around the Bar-B-Q and let the news media do it all for us? P.S. I'm making Aliyah next month.

My daughter made alya 5 years ago. after the army , after a BA , in a good israeli university, she hardly and finally found a job. She is not an employee, but the boss maintain her as a "free lance" ,she is paid 6000 ils (1000€) , working 10 hours a day, 5 days a week + home work thanks to internet ,some times recalled to help a 11 pm. If i didn't help her, how could she afford to pay her rental , a car , and food, for 1000 € a month? How are doing the young people who's family can't help? how this generation is going to build a family , and buy a roof? tell me? , tell her? she does'nt complain and love Israel. Me too...as a frequent tourist.