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Over the past two weeks Israel has been going through a social intifada. Anything and everything is up for discussion. Started in Tel Aviv by a group of young Israelis, it engulfed the whole country on Saturday July 30, when 150,000 demonstrators in dozens of cities took to the streets. The demonstrators are calling for change toward a welfare state.
WAC, an independent trade union, has been participating daily at the tent camps in Tel Aviv, Haifa, Jerusalem, Baqa Al-Gharbia and Nazareth. We are insisting that the protest be a joint Jewish-Arab movement demanding social justice for all.
Despite the fact that the movement is new and diversified, with political limitations concerning Palestinian rights, we believe that it is the most important social movement in the history of Israel. It challenges the agenda that has united the ruling class for 25 years.
Since 1985, when Israel adopted the economic stabilization plan, the whole political system – including Labor, Likud, Kadima and Shas – united in selling the country's public companies, assets and resources to tycoons. Eighteen families today control the economy. The general feeling in the Israeli street for several years now has been one of complete distrust toward the political and military leaders. All are seen as corrupt and dishonest.
WAC-MAAN views the movement as a very positive development for advancing our initiative to organize the unorganized. We have set up tents in several cities, and we are calling on all our members and supporters to take part.[:de]
Over the past two weeks Israel has been going through a social intifada. Anything and everything is up for discussion. Started in Tel Aviv by a group of young Israelis, it engulfed the whole country on Saturday July 30, when 150,000 demonstrators in dozens of cities took to the streets. The demonstrators are calling for change toward a welfare state.
WAC, an independent trade union, has been participating daily at the tent camps in Tel Aviv, Haifa, Jerusalem, Baqa Al-Gharbia and Nazareth. We are insisting that the protest be a joint Jewish-Arab movement demanding social justice for all.
Despite the fact that the movement is new and diversified, with political limitations concerning Palestinian rights, we believe that it is the most important social movement in the history of Israel. It challenges the agenda that has united the ruling class for 25 years.
Since 1985, when Israel adopted the economic stabilization plan, the whole political system – including Labor, Likud, Kadima and Shas – united in selling the country's public companies, assets and resources to tycoons. Eighteen families today control the economy. The general feeling in the Israeli street for several years now has been one of complete distrust toward the political and military leaders. All are seen as corrupt and dishonest.
WAC-MAAN views the movement as a very positive development for advancing our initiative to organize the unorganized. We have set up tents in several cities, and we are calling on all our members and supporters to take part.[:]
