Thousands of Israelis protest soaring housing prices

[News_Editor]

Thousands of Israelis protest soaring housing prices

2011-07-31 04:12:51 GMT+7 (ICT)

JERUSALEM (BNO NEWS) -- Protesters returned to the streets of Israel on Saturday to demonstrate against the spiraling costs of living in the country, Haaretz newspaper reported.

Protests were held in cities across the country, but the largest event took place in Tel Aviv where protesters marched toward the Tel Aviv Museum to urge the government to find a sustainable solution to the housing crisis. The rallies, which began early in the morning, will end with concerts by several well-known Israeli performers.

"We are trying to find a specific direction for this dream," Stav Shafir, one of the protests' organizers said on Saturday, adding that "at this stage in the protest the bravest move would be to allow us to express our dream – what a social state is."

The housing activist added that demonstrators "want a state in which protesters are provided with their basic needs – attainable housing, attainable health care, attainable education – an attainable future," as reported by the newspaper.

Earlier in the day, member of parliament Ofir Akounis said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is setting up a team to examine the lowering of taxes.

Tent cities have been erected throughout the country in recent weeks to protest the high rent prices. Last Saturday, thousands participated in a mass demonstration in Tel Aviv in which several were arrested in scuffles with police.

Demonstrators also took to the streets of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on Wednesday to protest surging real-estate prices and the housing shortage in the country despite Prime Minister Netanyahu's proposed plan to solve the crisis.

Under the proposed plan, there will be a 50 percent discount in price of land designated for the construction of apartments. Other initiatives include the construction of 10,000 new dormitory units for students and discounts on public transportation fares for students.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-07-31

[johna]

I don't understand this, how come the Israeli army is not out there shooting these people.

[Jingthing]

I don't understand this, how come the Israeli army is not out there shooting these people.

Why would they?

[geriatrickid]

I don't understand this, how come the Israeli army is not out there shooting these people.

Probably because the protestors are not throwing fire bombs or trying to physically injure people.

Quite a difference in the approach to civil protests between Israel and its neighbours I think.

Maybe you are confused and should head over to the thread on Syria where you can protest the Syrian massacre of civilians.

[midas]

Perhaps Binyamin Netanyahu should concentrate more on meeting the social demands of his own people rather than worrying so much about

whether Palestine becomes a state and sabre rattling against other countries

" A wartime mood prevailed in the prime minister's office yesterday. The other shoe dropped. This is a serious, unprecedented, powerful phenomenon. The middle-class rebellion, spreading like wildfire throughout the country, is undoubtedly the most acute crisis the second Netanyahu government has had to deal with."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/view-from-jerusalem-with-harriet-sherwood/2011/jul/29/israel

[DanR]

Don't the Israelis usually solve these problems by simply stealing their neighbour's land? C'mon boys, fire up the tanks, the estate agents are waiting.

[Jingthing]

Don't the Israelis usually solve these problems by simply stealing their neighbour's land? C'mon boys, fire up the tanks, the estate agents are waiting.

The Israelis willing or gung ho to live in the settlement areas are a small minority. Some are right wing and/or religious ideologues and some indeed are mainly there for the cheaper housing. I reckon most of the protesters are very secular Jews who want to live in the happening city, Tel Aviv. Like any real estate market, prices are high in the places that are most desirable, so it's going to be a real challenge to change that reality very much. I mean, Tel Aviv is the San Francisco of the middle east (actually better because of the beaches), how low can the rents go?

Edited August 1, 2011 by Jingthing

[Ulysses G.]

Don't the Israelis usually solve these problems by simply stealing their neighbour's land?

They usually have to be attacked by their "neighbours" first and the "neighbours" often don't have any right to the disputed land either. Can't really blame them.

Edited August 1, 2011 by Ulysses G.

[uptheos]

The General Assembly

Acting in discharge of its functions under Article 4 of the Charter and rule 125 of its rules of procedure,

1. Decides that Israel is a peace-loving State which accepts the obligations contained in the Charter and is able and willing to carry out those obligations;

United Nations General Assembly Resolution 273 (III)

May 11, 1949

No matter how much some people would like others to think contrary, nothing has changed since then and Israel continues to be a peace-loving state, who will respond if provoked. Most sensible countries try not to provoke, no matter how much they hate Israel, because they know how they will end up. Others that do provoke, get their just desserts.

"The end of Israel is the goal of our struggle, and it allows for neither compromise nor mediation... We don't want peace. We want war, victory." (Yasser Arafat, 1972)

Seems pretty clear to me!

Edited August 1, 2011 by uptheos

[Jingthing]

The path of reason to create peace with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is for both sides, and the world, to admit there is plenty of blame to go all around, that it is not a black and white situation, that Israelis have rights as a sovereign nation, that Palestinians have legitimate reasons to be inflamed (but also that Israel hasn't been their only problem or the only reason they aren't doing well), and start from there. It's called negotiation. That means neither side can possibly get everything they might want, but that potentially both sides can live and prosper in peace. Of course that's going to have to mean Israel giving up much of their questionable settlements and the Palestinians accepting the existence of the Jewish state of Israel. Not saying there is much hope of that though.

Edited August 1, 2011 by Jingthing

[Ulysses G.]

Don't the Israelis usually solve these problems by simply stealing their neighbour's land?

Nonsense. "Stole" it from who?

Edited August 1, 2011 by Ulysses G.

[uptheos]

Let's negotiate, sit down, have a cup of coffee together..........share our common interests, bring the kids over etc.

[Steely Dan]

The path of reason to create peace with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is for both sides, and the world, to admit there is plenty of blame to go all around, that it is not a black and white situation, that Israelis have rights as a sovereign nation, that Palestinians have legitimate reasons to be inflamed (but also that Israel hasn't been their only problem or the only reason they aren't doing well), and start from there. It's called negotiation. That means neither side can possibly get everything they might want, but that potentially both sides can live and prosper in peace. Of course that's going to have to mean Israel giving up much of their questionable settlements and the Palestinians accepting the existence of the Jewish state of Israel. Not saying there is much hope of that though.

Jing,

In their hearts I suspect many Israelis are left wing, however history has demonstrated time and again that any compromise Israel makes is not reciprocated but met with more violence, hence the swing to the right. Ideally I would like a first past the post electoral system to diminish the power of fringe elements, but this is all academic as there will never be peace with the arab nations until Islam modernizes and goes through the same painful reformation that Christianity went through (not withstanding a few republicans), until then there will I fear be a state of perpetual war or tactical truce. Should Islam modernize peace and a more left wing Israel will both follow as sure as night follows day.

[Jingthing]

There is no trust on either side and understandably so. That's why both sides a strong third party to enforce any agreement that is made, to reduce the chance that either side will be screwed or worse. That's got to be the US, like it or not.

No I'm not optimistic. Seems like the same old same old for decades now and it wouldn't very much surprise me if not much changes 50 years from now. On the other hand, looking at history, sometimes things change very fast. It also wouldn't shock me if Israel simply fails for a number of obvious factors; probably the biggest threats right now are Iran and the international and irrational demonization of Israel. The latter is an organized effort and they are winning that PR war.

Edited August 1, 2011 by Jingthing