Hundreds of dairy farmers staged protests across the country on Monday, blocking major intersections and spilling milk and manure on roads in a show of anger over economic reforms proposed by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Demonstrators arrived at ten key junctions—some on foot, others driving tractors—where they poured milk, hay and cow manure onto roadways. Intersections at Gilat, near the Gaza border, as well as Megiddo, Bilu and Goma in the north, were completely blocked by protesting farmers and ranchers. Protest organizers delivered speeches at each site.
5 View gallery
Hundreds of dairy farmers block major roads and dump milk, hay and manure to protest finance minister's reform plan
(Photo: Farmers and Dairy Producers Protest Headquarters)
Protesters carried signs reading, “You can’t import Zionism and security,” “Smotrich is cutting us off from farms and settlement,” “Protect Israeli milk” and “Fighting for the future of agriculture.”
“Farmers and dairy producers are Israel’s Iron Dome for food security. We will fight for the future of agriculture and our right to ensure food security for Israeli citizens," Amit Yifrach, chairman of the Israeli Farmers Federation and secretary-general of the Moshavim Movement, said during the demonstration.
"This isn’t a warning—it’s the real thing. We won’t allow the finance minister to destroy 100 years of Israeli production or trample the livelihoods of farmers living and working the land along the borders. We will not let him wipe out some 400 moshav-based dairies for a reform that won’t lower prices for consumers but will make us dangerously dependent on imports.”
At the Ketura Junction on the road to Eilat, protesters handed out chocolate milk produced by Yotvata dairy while partially blocking the intersection.
“Hundreds of farmers came out to say no to this destructive dairy reform, which will wipe out our farms," Dagan Yarel, CEO of the Dairy Producers Association, who was at the Gilat Junction, told ynet. "I’m calling on the prime minister to intervene and remove this harmful plan from the Arrangements Law. Only then can we discuss necessary changes.”