November 1, 2001
[gallery columns="6" orderby="rand"]
The summer of 2011 started with protests over the soaring prices of cheese and gasoline (image source: MSN Israel Business)
June 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Prelude: Chronology of the Israeli Social Protest
For several years already the middle class wasn't happy - students protested randomly against inequality and government's coalition money transfers to small sectors. Protests were scattered.
November 1, 2001
[gallery columns="6" orderby="rand"]
The summer of 2011 started with protests over the soaring prices of cheese and gasoline (image source: MSN Israel Business)
June 2011
November 1, 2001
[gallery columns="6" orderby="rand"]
The summer of 2011 started with protests over the soaring prices of cheese and gasoline (image source: MSN Israel Business)
June 2011
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Music that makes me tremble
When the ideas aren't razor sharp, when you are too tired, music speaks for your soul. Like a little children walking in darkness - songs have a magical power to re-attach you to the emotional sources of your belief. When the brain wants to sleep, emotions can still stir your soul.
Yesterday night I went for a walk in the central tents camp in Tel Aviv. Later, at home I read quite a lot of opinions and reports about this amazing creature. Exhausted, I fall asleep before sunrise.
Today, I woke up a bit melancholic trying to come up with a sharp insight about how leftist ides relate to the current events worldwide - London is burning, masses being murdered in Syria, protests in Spain and Israel, falling stock markets and others.
I have many ideas which I'll try to present in a readable manner for you in the next days. However, now I just have a strong urge to share with you three emotive songs which summarize for me leftist gut feelings, the deeper emotions that feed my more quotidian political views.
Later I will try to find a decent translation to English.
For Life - Leon Gieco
The Memory - Leon Gieco
Luis' Christmas - Mercedes Sosa & León Gieco
Yesterday night I went for a walk in the central tents camp in Tel Aviv. Later, at home I read quite a lot of opinions and reports about this amazing creature. Exhausted, I fall asleep before sunrise.
Today, I woke up a bit melancholic trying to come up with a sharp insight about how leftist ides relate to the current events worldwide - London is burning, masses being murdered in Syria, protests in Spain and Israel, falling stock markets and others.
I have many ideas which I'll try to present in a readable manner for you in the next days. However, now I just have a strong urge to share with you three emotive songs which summarize for me leftist gut feelings, the deeper emotions that feed my more quotidian political views.
Later I will try to find a decent translation to English.
For Life - Leon Gieco
The Memory - Leon Gieco
Luis' Christmas - Mercedes Sosa & León Gieco
Monday, August 8, 2011
Saturday, August 6, 2011
The 300K Demonstration
It was amazing! Such an amount of people walking and chanting in good mood, wanting to do something good for their society and themselves is something really outstanding. 280K people in Tel Aviv, 30K in Jerusalem and thousands in other cities.
A quick calculation shows that almost 5% of the Israelis were demonstrating, or an even more striking number - about 10% of the tax payers.
The very broad coalition that fuels this movement seems intact at this point. It seems that while the momentum is kept the differences in the movement won't really damage it. An historical leader of a low class demonstrations gave a speech: "40 years I have been awaiting this moment...I was losing faith..." he said. He embraced the middle class leaders of this movement and cracked the governments chorus claiming this are all 'sushi protesters'.
It is enlightening to see that most of the Israeli public after all believes in a just society. A society where people are equal, where working people can live with dignity and where the poor and needed are being taken care by the state. Nobody really wants a social state, but people definitely cried for a welfare state. People believe that a competitive market and hard working can go hand by hand with a just and relatively equal society.
We, Israelis, were always proud that Israel has no poor people like in the 3rd world, that its streets are safe and people are easy going. Things have changed and the public, from all sectors, wants to get back 'their state', the one they knew before. It seems that there are very little economic right wing people in Israel. The tradition of Jewish caring for community and Zionist Socialism is still latent (economically speaking of course) - it seems that the civil studies classes in elementary school weren't in vain. People in the street were talking about financial problems in the USA - everyone are aware that something must change in the system, but without destroying it.
We want back our mutual guarantee, in which members of society are helping each other in case of need.
We want a country and society of which we'll be proud. A special place on earth. We want to make things differently. We want to fix our realm and make it exemplary.
Now, let's see how the politics turn out and translates the after shocks of this movement.
Another interesting point will be to see how the Arab citizens of Israel will react to this movement and to their participation in it. The Zionist zeal to build an exemplary society is something they'll have to react to and find their place - hopefully within the consensus. As to our neighbors, I hope that the message of having masses in the streets without anyone shooting them will resound all over the middle east.
Last but not least - do not make mistakes or assumptions. This is a pure social-economical movement. Any mentioning of the Israeli-Palestinian issue will tear it apart. Things aren't disconnected, but it is hard to anticipate how this experience will influence the Israelis and their neighbors.
I promise to upload some pictures from the demonstration tomorrow morning. Now, I'm finally off to bed.
Cheers,
Dario
A quick calculation shows that almost 5% of the Israelis were demonstrating, or an even more striking number - about 10% of the tax payers.
The very broad coalition that fuels this movement seems intact at this point. It seems that while the momentum is kept the differences in the movement won't really damage it. An historical leader of a low class demonstrations gave a speech: "40 years I have been awaiting this moment...I was losing faith..." he said. He embraced the middle class leaders of this movement and cracked the governments chorus claiming this are all 'sushi protesters'.
It is enlightening to see that most of the Israeli public after all believes in a just society. A society where people are equal, where working people can live with dignity and where the poor and needed are being taken care by the state. Nobody really wants a social state, but people definitely cried for a welfare state. People believe that a competitive market and hard working can go hand by hand with a just and relatively equal society.
We, Israelis, were always proud that Israel has no poor people like in the 3rd world, that its streets are safe and people are easy going. Things have changed and the public, from all sectors, wants to get back 'their state', the one they knew before. It seems that there are very little economic right wing people in Israel. The tradition of Jewish caring for community and Zionist Socialism is still latent (economically speaking of course) - it seems that the civil studies classes in elementary school weren't in vain. People in the street were talking about financial problems in the USA - everyone are aware that something must change in the system, but without destroying it.
We want back our mutual guarantee, in which members of society are helping each other in case of need.
We want a country and society of which we'll be proud. A special place on earth. We want to make things differently. We want to fix our realm and make it exemplary.
Now, let's see how the politics turn out and translates the after shocks of this movement.
Another interesting point will be to see how the Arab citizens of Israel will react to this movement and to their participation in it. The Zionist zeal to build an exemplary society is something they'll have to react to and find their place - hopefully within the consensus. As to our neighbors, I hope that the message of having masses in the streets without anyone shooting them will resound all over the middle east.
Last but not least - do not make mistakes or assumptions. This is a pure social-economical movement. Any mentioning of the Israeli-Palestinian issue will tear it apart. Things aren't disconnected, but it is hard to anticipate how this experience will influence the Israelis and their neighbors.
I promise to upload some pictures from the demonstration tomorrow morning. Now, I'm finally off to bed.
Cheers,
Dario
Where is the Israeli tents protest going to
Over the last week the Israeli tents movements saw the biggest raise in support. On one hand civil organizations like taxi drivers union, women of policemen, fragments of the teachers unions, the young physicians and the milk producers are just but a few of those who joined the movement. On the other hand, for the first time right wing and religious political organizations joined the tents' cities and left aside the arguments that "these are all leftists". Even the Arab sector which was till now cautious, not sure whether they'll be welcomed, joined the peaceful demonstrations.
Tent camps were set up in many new locations in new cities and in cities which already had camps. The police tried to remove some of these. However, SMSs and Facebook immediately brought reinforcements and made the police and municipalities to retreat. A judge that discussed the case of protesters that stopped the traffic in a street released them saying they should be praised and not arrested. The tents camps are voting on the demands list that should be presented to the government.
Juan says this is great. It's an inclusive movement and not an exclusive demonstration, thus making a bigger impact than the Spaniard Indignados movement, M-15. Indeed, we are about to experiment in Israel what would have happened if the Spanish movement had turned out differently.
So, if all looks good - why am I worried?
As more and more organizations are joining there are more people and interests to satisfy. The longer the protest takes the more chances there are that one of our neighbors will make a favor to the government and start with a new round of hostilities. Actually, this week several rockets were launched from Gaza to Israel, heating pretty close to the tents camp in the city of Ashkelon.
There aren't yet any clear demands from the government. Some of the leaders of tent camps started questioning the legitimacy of the leadership of the founders of the first camp in Tel Aviv. This is a gift for the government who's looking for any way to discredit and murk the leaders of the movement.
But on top of everything the main problem is that everyone speak about only one of the two main problems - the brutal capitalism imposed on Israel in the past 20 years.
Since everyone wants an inclusive movement, no one speaks about the fact that several sectors in the Israeli society do not share the burden carried by the low and middle classes. The Arab, Beduin and Ultra orthodox populations who make much more children than what they can support and live in chosen or imposed poverty (all have dedicated parties who take care of them), the settlers in Judea and Samaria who get big subsidies from the government. These are all complicated issues which are put aside right now. The low-middle class is demonstrating, demanding social justice - but social justice equals to money, and currently the same low-middle class is the main tax payer in the country.
The overall problem is a matter of values - the western and capitalist values. People without knowing are opposed to the values of plain figures oriented capitalism. They support the value of men and women, their natural rights...but all these still can't be discussed. Something, I can't explain what, isn't mature yet.
The government means to keep using capitalist methods to tackle the situation - they have an hammer to they'll keep looking for nails to hit.... and the leaders of the movement keep saying 'we don't want to throw the government' and they don't have yet a defined list of demands.
Currently, it seems that the most important change this movement will do is throwing the Israelis back into the street, teaching them they can and should fight for their social and economical rights and not only for a secure survival in the tormentuous middle east. Let's hope this will teach people to be more critical and analyze the real problems, the failure of the existing political system and values.
Tent camps were set up in many new locations in new cities and in cities which already had camps. The police tried to remove some of these. However, SMSs and Facebook immediately brought reinforcements and made the police and municipalities to retreat. A judge that discussed the case of protesters that stopped the traffic in a street released them saying they should be praised and not arrested. The tents camps are voting on the demands list that should be presented to the government.
Juan says this is great. It's an inclusive movement and not an exclusive demonstration, thus making a bigger impact than the Spaniard Indignados movement, M-15. Indeed, we are about to experiment in Israel what would have happened if the Spanish movement had turned out differently.
So, if all looks good - why am I worried?
As more and more organizations are joining there are more people and interests to satisfy. The longer the protest takes the more chances there are that one of our neighbors will make a favor to the government and start with a new round of hostilities. Actually, this week several rockets were launched from Gaza to Israel, heating pretty close to the tents camp in the city of Ashkelon.
There aren't yet any clear demands from the government. Some of the leaders of tent camps started questioning the legitimacy of the leadership of the founders of the first camp in Tel Aviv. This is a gift for the government who's looking for any way to discredit and murk the leaders of the movement.
But on top of everything the main problem is that everyone speak about only one of the two main problems - the brutal capitalism imposed on Israel in the past 20 years.
Since everyone wants an inclusive movement, no one speaks about the fact that several sectors in the Israeli society do not share the burden carried by the low and middle classes. The Arab, Beduin and Ultra orthodox populations who make much more children than what they can support and live in chosen or imposed poverty (all have dedicated parties who take care of them), the settlers in Judea and Samaria who get big subsidies from the government. These are all complicated issues which are put aside right now. The low-middle class is demonstrating, demanding social justice - but social justice equals to money, and currently the same low-middle class is the main tax payer in the country.
The overall problem is a matter of values - the western and capitalist values. People without knowing are opposed to the values of plain figures oriented capitalism. They support the value of men and women, their natural rights...but all these still can't be discussed. Something, I can't explain what, isn't mature yet.
The government means to keep using capitalist methods to tackle the situation - they have an hammer to they'll keep looking for nails to hit.... and the leaders of the movement keep saying 'we don't want to throw the government' and they don't have yet a defined list of demands.
Currently, it seems that the most important change this movement will do is throwing the Israelis back into the street, teaching them they can and should fight for their social and economical rights and not only for a secure survival in the tormentuous middle east. Let's hope this will teach people to be more critical and analyze the real problems, the failure of the existing political system and values.
Another Sabbath of Demonstrations
A week as passed since the last big demonstration.
In this week, the government used its sheer majority in the parliament allowing quick selling of lands without proper ecological or ethical checks. The protesters warned the government this will break the rules of the game. The government boldly ignored it.
Moreover, on one hand the prime minister kept saying the grievances are real, but insisted he'll resolve all the problems with the same tools that created them - more privatization, more capitalism. Government supporters from the ruling party called the protesters - "sushi eaters", leftists, drug addicts, "spoiled children", etc.
It seems that the government made the perfect build up towards today's demonstrations. Today, there will be only 3 central demonstrations as opposed to the 11 last week. The concentration, plus the fury caused by the government this week are expected to make the Tel Aviv one the biggest ever seen in Israel. Let's hope so.
I'll report as soon as we are back.
Cheers,
Dario
In this week, the government used its sheer majority in the parliament allowing quick selling of lands without proper ecological or ethical checks. The protesters warned the government this will break the rules of the game. The government boldly ignored it.
Moreover, on one hand the prime minister kept saying the grievances are real, but insisted he'll resolve all the problems with the same tools that created them - more privatization, more capitalism. Government supporters from the ruling party called the protesters - "sushi eaters", leftists, drug addicts, "spoiled children", etc.
It seems that the government made the perfect build up towards today's demonstrations. Today, there will be only 3 central demonstrations as opposed to the 11 last week. The concentration, plus the fury caused by the government this week are expected to make the Tel Aviv one the biggest ever seen in Israel. Let's hope so.
I'll report as soon as we are back.
Cheers,
Dario
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
The Day the Revolution will Begin
Today morning the Israeli parliament is supposed to vote for a baaaaad law. In order to tackle the peaking housing prices, the government wants to intensify its capitalists practices and allow fast sales of public lands for construction with minimal checks and controls.
All the civil, demonstrating and ecologist, organizations strongly oppose this, knowing the lands will go to the rich who'll make more profits and will destroy public lands and green spaces.
All the organizations promised the government that if the bill is approved, all hell will break lose. This will be seen as a rules breaking move, and the demonstrators won't see themselves committed to any rules.
Now, let's await and see how stupid or blindly capitalist this government is?
Dario
All the civil, demonstrating and ecologist, organizations strongly oppose this, knowing the lands will go to the rich who'll make more profits and will destroy public lands and green spaces.
All the organizations promised the government that if the bill is approved, all hell will break lose. This will be seen as a rules breaking move, and the demonstrators won't see themselves committed to any rules.
Now, let's await and see how stupid or blindly capitalist this government is?
Dario
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