Israelis protest against government response to coronavirus

[rooster59]

Israelis protest against government response to coronavirus

By Rami Amichay

 

Israelis protest against the government's response to the financial fallout of the coronavirus disease (COVID- 19) crisis at Rabin square in Tel Aviv, Israel July 11, 2020. REUTERS/Ammar Awad

 

TEL AVIV (Reuters) - Thousands of Israelis demonstrated on Saturday in Tel Aviv, angered by what they say has been an inept government response to the economic hits they have taken during the coronavirus crisis.

 

In keeping with restrictions on public gatherings, police limited the number of people allowed into Tel Aviv's Rabin square for the rally as nearby streets filled with demonstrators wearing face masks.

 

"I have 40 workers with no income, no money," said Michal Gaist-Casif, vice president of a sound and lighting company.

 

"We need the government to pump in money until we're back to normal. We haven't been working since mid-March through April, May, June and July, and August is looking to be a catastrophe."

 

Israeli media said thousands attended the rally. No official figure for the number of protesters was given.

 

Unemployment in Israel has soared to 21% since the country went into partial lockdown in March and aid packages promised by the government have been slow to come through, frustrating Israelis who fear they are on the verge of economic collapse.

 

Alarmed by a new spike in COVID-19 cases which surged after the economy began reopening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week reimposed a series of restrictions in a bid to contain infections, shutting down a slew of businesses again.

 

With less than half of the $29 billion previously pledged in aid paid out and anger building, Netanyahu announced a new welfare package on Thursday, saying the measures would provide an economic safety net for the coming year.

 

In the past few weeks, protesters from across the political spectrum have taken to the streets with demands for speedier compensation from the coalition government, which they see as overstaffed and ineffectual.

 

"People feel helpless, there's no response. They are enraged and want the government to take responsibility," said Roee Cohen, president of the Israel Chamber of Independent Organizations and Businesses.

 

(Writing by Maayan Lubell; Editing by David Clarke)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-07-12

 

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[steven100]

just another casualty. nothing new .... 

[car720]

What the hell can we call that guy in the photo???

[aussienam]

Meanwhile Xi Jinping and his CCP generals are rubbing their hands together with glee seeing the social and economic collapse of the world around them.  

Edited July 12, 2020 by aussienam

[Matzzon]

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

 

3 hours ago, car720 said:

What the hell can we call that guy in the photo???

There is no names for guys like that. However, if they a planning a new Mad Max sequel, he will be considered.

[Srikcir]

1 hour ago, aussienam said:

Meanwhile Xi Jinping and his CCP generals are rubbing their hands together with glee seeing the social and economic collapse of the world around them.  

Are you familiar with the term "world trade?"

No nation (especially a global superpower economy like China) can operate in an economic global vacuum. 

A severely distressed Chinese economy resulting from negative GDP growth rate caused by global depression due to codvil 19 can potentially create a public backlash against the CCP government. Look to increasing US public sentiment against the Trump regime.

No, I'd say the CC0 generals are not gleeful.

[chrisinth]

2 hours ago, Matzzon said:

 

There is no names for guys like that. However, if they a planning a new Mad Max sequel, he will be considered.

You do realize that he is wearing a mask?

[tifino]

5 hours ago, car720 said:

What the hell can we call that guy in the photo???

could make him a Stunt Guy, for Futureman Wolf!

[PingRoundTheWorld]

Current Israeli government is the worst and most corrupt one Israel ever had. It wasn't even elected as-is, basically Gantz broke all his campaign promises and joined Netanyahu (Bibi) in a joint government, despite literally running on the platform of ousting Netanyahu. I'm not sure how that's even legal. Gantz basically dug his own grave and will be buried next elections, but that may be in a long time.

 

The ridiculous thing is that Israel never actually had a Kung Flu problem - so far there have been only 362 dead. The government (Bibi) however has a deep interest in creating and maintaining panic, this allows them to maintain control and more important attempt to delay and subterfuge Bibi's upcoming trial on bribary charges. He is guilty and everyone knows he's guilty, yet he is still able to cling on to power.

 

There is currently, allegedly, a "second wave" in Israel with supposedly thousands of new confirmed cases a day. Sounds bad, right? Wrong- this is a fake wave created for one purpose - subterfuge the trial - the next hearing is coming later this week so they want an excuse to shut it down.

 

How are they manufacturing a "new wave"?

Confirmed cases: In the previous "wave" they were testing at most 7000 people a day, later when things slowed down they were testing even less. Now to create a "second wave" they started testing up to 28000 people a day - 4 times more than the previous wave. The result is that they are getting about a thousand new confirmed cases a day, but most of these people are asymptomatic carriers and aren't even sick. They are putting healthy people in quarantine and locking down neighborhoods for no reason other than some people there are carriers (but not sick).

 

Critical cases: In the previous wave they only counted people who are extremely sick (ventilators and such), in this wave critical cases did not increase much until last week. Now in order to increase those they changed the definition for critical cases to include more people.

 

Deaths: Deaths are increasing, but not drastically so far. I wish I could say this is one metric they can't redefine, but sadly they can (just count anybody who dies for other reasons).

 

As for the public - they're basically helpless against a government that's 100% politically motivated and fails them consistently. The government is aware that the public and economy will not withstand a second lock down so they are only locking down individual neighborhoods, and so far most businesses were not ordered to shut down. They did however arbitrarily order gyms and pools to shut down despite no evidence there is increased risk of transmission there - this is being challenged both in court and government and will likely be reversed soon. Gyms and pools on their end are allowed to operate for professional athletes so remain open, and anybody can register as an athlete, so....

 

Bars of course have been closed, and likely most will shut down permanently. Some remain open but probably only those under a restaurant license. But the worst of it all is that Israelis are essentially prisoners at this point - very few countries open to Israelis now unless you hold a second passport. If you are one of the lucky ones who can escape, you will face a mandatory 14-day quarantine when you come back - even if you already had the virus and are immune.. ridiculous. Unemployment is over 20%, yet the IT industry is booming. Income inequality is likely to grow even worse than it already is.

 

I'm not even in Israel now. I'm in Japan, but may be forced to go to Israel soon as there is nowhere in Asia I can travel to currently and will have to leave Japan soon. Lucky for me I also have a US passport - not a big help right now, but once the virus runs it's course there other countries will surely open their legs doors to Americans.