The Tent Protest: Israel's Social-Democratic Movement

[marmar]

from Dissent magazine:



The Tent Protest: Israel's Social-Democratic Movement
Neri Zilber - August 3, 2011


IN THE middle of a humid and sweaty Middle Eastern summer, Israel is undergoing its own version of the Arab Spring. What began as a youth-led, Facebook-generated protest movement against the high cost of housing has, in just over two weeks, turned into a full-blown middle-class rebellion.

It appears that the most unlikely of actors, the Israeli public, has succeeded where so many other outside actors have failed: to put real pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. With 150,000 Israelis all across the country taking to the streets this past Saturday to demand, in effect, government intervention to lower the cost of living and an increase in state welfare, Netanyahu is facing the stiffest challenge yet to his premiership.

THE UNREST began in mid July, when the Tel Aviv landlord of twenty-five-year-old filmmaker Dafni Leef raised her (already substantial) rent. Instead of paying the new fee or finding another, equally expensive apartment, she created a Facebook event publicizing the fact that from July 14 onward, her new home would be a tent in central Tel Aviv, on the city’s posh, European-styled Rothschild Boulevard. As she tells it, this was done half in jest and half in protest, but she invited people to join her. A movement demanding affordable housing was born.

That first night there were around 150 people with a few tents. They sat in two different circles, speaking over each other through megaphones. It looked like what it was: a disorganized group comprised mainly of students and hippie-types—a colorful distraction. ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://dissentmagazine.org/online.php?id=512