Masses march for social change
Tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets Saturday night, in demand of affordable housing and social justice.
Protest marches were held in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Ashdod, Beersheba, Nazareth, Kiryat Shmona, Modiin, Hod HaSharon, Netanya, Kfar Saba and Ashkelon. All marches culminated in rallies in each city, held under the banner of "Israel demands an affordable future."
Police sources estimated that 150,000 people were taking part in the protest nationwide.
Protests are being held in all major and many minor cities across Israel. They are based on protests for more affordable housing by students and the middle class, but have broadened their support to include families overwhelmed by child-care costs, labor unions, dairy farmers and other economic groups.
There is a little evidence of the protests spreading across racial/class lines, but unfortunately it's still limited. e.g.:
In Jaffa, dozens of Arab and Jewish protesters rallied for the cause, carrying signs in Hebrew and Arabic reading "Arabs and Jews want affordable housing," and "Jaffa doesn’t want bids for the rich only."
These are the largest protests in Israel probably since those against the Lebanon invasion in the early 1980s.
For an even more detailed diary, posted at almost the same time, see The Troubadour's:
Over 150,000 Protesters Take to the Streets in Israel as Pressure on Netanyahu Reaches Critical Mass