Israel Protesters Plan To Present ‘Charter’ for Justice
A week after the violent protests in Tel Aviv, rallies were scheduled to take place on Saturday in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa and Afula.
In Tel Aviv, activists will march from Habima Sqare to the Tel Aviv Museum. Among the speakers are retired Major General Ze’ev Even-Hen, who lost his daughter Topaz in the 2010 Carmel fire disaster, and Prof. Yossi Yonah, who was part of the alternative team of experts who advised the protesters last summer.
The streets Marmorek, Ibn Gvirol and Shaul Hamelech will be closed to traffic. The activists intend to present a new socioeconomic charter which will address the upcoming annual budget. Among other demands, the charter will call for increasing the government’s part in the gross national product and introducing tax reforms and pension reforms.
The organizers, who say the protest has been approved by and coordinated with security forces, said citizens must call on the Israeli government to “open its eyes.” “We are the ones holding up Israel on our shoulders,” they said. “The money you will dole out in the upcoming budget is not yours, it’s the citizens.’”
In a separate rally, protesters plan to march from Habima Square toward the government compound near Kaplan St. It was described on Facebook as “a popular event with no connection to political parties… without stages, without speeches, with no leaders.” This, the organizers said, as opposed to the other events taking place on Saturday.
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