Israelis protest cost of living
August 6th, 2011
07:07 PM ET

Israelis protest cost of living

Some quarter of a million Israelis took to the streets Saturday night in protests against the mounting cost of living for the middle class in one of the largest social outcries in Israeli history.

Marching under the slogan, "the people ask for social justice," students, young families and older Israelis called for the Israeli government to rethink financial reforms that they say have squeezed the middle class.

"Everybody who works ... doesn't have enough money to survive," a demonstrator told CNN. She accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of giving tax money "to the tycoons and to the rich people and nothing comes (back) to us."

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soundoff (49 Responses)
  1. TAIWO

    isrealis economic is a sign of the end of time and a foreruner of global economic downturn.

    August 7, 2011 at 4:18 pm | Report abuse |
  2. fernace

    World economy is strapped everywhere! Does that give leaders the right to demand more of a group that has less & less of a group that has more!? Sounds backwards! The least the rich can do is make an equal sacrifice, but when poiticians give them preferential treatment, they are obvously excempt! The burden of the world working smoothly is on the backs of the working class & I don't mind that! I do mind that my kids education budget is cut, so the rich don't have to sacrifice their tax cuts! That don't cut it with me!!

    August 7, 2011 at 4:51 pm | Report abuse |
  3. saywhat

    @chessdad

    I am afraid that may happen.
    We the taxpayers pay 6 billion dollars a year to Israel which is just the announced portion, what goes to them from our soil thru multinationals & secret funds is never in the public domain. Thanks to those in Washington who swear allegiance to the regime in Israel.
    You can therefore expect Netanyahu to visit us anytime to do some arm twisting so that we may cough up more of tax dollars.

    August 7, 2011 at 5:01 pm | Report abuse |
  4. Phantom II

    @ saywhat:
    None of the possible solutions to the conflict created by Zionism would be considered "just" by Israel anytime soon.

    August 7, 2011 at 6:49 pm | Report abuse |
  5. saywhat

    @ Phantom 11

    That is correct, but the courageous Jews in Israel & here are trying to raise public awarenss to this issue. may they succeed.

    August 7, 2011 at 9:31 pm | Report abuse |
  6. The Prophet

    Middle class Americans will soon revolt against its political system, forced by the burdens of their government which includes property taxes, personal income taxes, sales taxes, corporate subordinations, civil and social segregation, over policing, social degradation, secretes of state. Democracy will crumble...It’s the destiny of any democracy

    August 7, 2011 at 9:55 pm | Report abuse |
    • ReasonNOTIdeology

      what you're describing is not the weight of democracy my dear, but the weight of marxism and marxism will cause any democracy to crumble. it's israels roots in socialism that have created a heavy burden for its people. not capitalism which is the only reason it has flourished the last few years.

      August 7, 2011 at 10:05 pm | Report abuse |
  7. Shawnilla

    I'm sorry Israel had a Holocost but thet have 2 learn how 2 act

    August 8, 2011 at 5:31 am | Report abuse |
  8. Shawnilla

    President Obama will fix it, he is the gretest president of America ever!!!!!

    August 8, 2011 at 5:56 am | Report abuse |
  9. HelenHull102951

    What right do you have to remove my post cnn. Is Israel that special? My posts are always well thought out. No none sense and no profanity. What's the problem?

    August 8, 2011 at 6:59 am | Report abuse |
  10. CNN Wire

    "Saywhat, Phantom 11" I couldn't have posted better views! Your points are spot on.

    August 8, 2011 at 7:28 am | Report abuse |
  11. the prophet

    Democracy is defined as capitalism, democracy can be difficult to collapse under the separation of powers structure of executive, legislative, judiciary. However democracy has major weaknesses.... Democracy is on the way to crumble under its own weight there are facs and signs.

    August 8, 2011 at 9:27 am | Report abuse |
  12. Anton H

    This challenge of Israelis is actually pretty tough. The root cause here is that their economy is small and does not provide the living standards most people there desire. It cannot produce enough jobs, and too much resources are being allocated to the defense and security. The latter is a must in their environment, and so is the former. Getting economic growth in today's world economy is not trivial at all. That means Israeli government will have to make a tough compromise between security and living standards. Will they be able to balance it?

    August 11, 2011 at 1:59 am | Report abuse |
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