10,000 demonstrate in Tel Aviv against austerity

The social protest may be making a comeback. 10,000 people demonstrated in Tel Aviv on Saturday against the austerity measures in the 2013-14 budget. Demonstrations were also held in Jerusalem, Haifa, Modi'in, Rishon LeZion, and Ashdod.

In Tel Aviv, the demonstrators gathered at 9 pm at the Habima Theater square, marched through the streets, and returned to the theater. Some placards said "Rule of capital is rule of the underworld". Some demonstrators carried Greek flags.

In Haifa, scores of people demonstrated against the budget at Horev intersection. They chanted against the austerity measures and carried placards saying, "Lapid stop. The budget won't pass".

Earlier on Saturday, the Tel Aviv march organizers said that 150,000 people were invited via Facebook to the demonstration, and that 10,000 people confirmed their participation, so that from this perspective, the organizers chalked up a success. On Thursday, the organizers of a demonstration outside Minister of Finance Yair Lapid's home had expected hundreds of demonstrators, but only a few score turned up.

"We, the students, the young families, people who struggle to make ends meet, see no good news in this budget, nor any reason for hope. We are the grandchildren of elderly people who cannot buy medication or pay healthcare costs, the children of parents who are left without a pension or guaranteed income of any kind, and we are the parents of children with no means to finance their education," the demonstration's organizers stated . "This budget does not have a single item which indicates any fundamental change in policy."

In an interview with Channel 2 on Thursday, which was aired on Friday, Lapid criticized the expected protests against the budget and its austerity measures. "I am restraining myself not to wear the black T-shirt again, to go out to the square, take the microphone, and tell them, 'What are you demonstrating for? For your apartment to lose half its value? To lose your job? You're demonstrating against yourselves. It makes no sense," he said.

"We are returning to the squares tonight to vote with our feet against the breach of the promises made such a short time ago. There is no equality in the tax burden in the budget that Lapid submitted. Whereas the surtax and capital gains tax total NIS 150 million, the VAT hike, which mostly hurts the middle class and the poor, amount to NIS 4,500 million, 30 times the tax on luxury goods," Dear Israel spokesman Eyal Ofer said.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on May 12, 2013

10,000 demonstrate in Tel Aviv against austerity

Demonstrators carried Greek flags and placards against Finance Minister Yair Lapid.