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BY TRACY PFEIFFER
ANCHOR GARY COTTON
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It was billed as the largest protest in the country’s history.
Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Israel Saturday, demanding government action on social inequalities.
JON DONNISON, BBC: “‘We want social justice’ was among the chants. Israelis are angry about the cost of living, everything from housing, to cars, to basic food.”
YONATAN LEVY, ORGANIZER:“It’s not only the cost of living, but of shrinking state, dysfunctional welfare services, the educational system, the public transportation. Everything that the state is supposed to do, it is isn’t done right, and that is what we want to change.”
NBC’s Paul Goldman explains the protests’ origins, saying-- it all started when a student was forced to leave her apartment because she couldn’t afford it.
“She set up a tent in Rothschild Boulevard in the center of Tel Aviv. She was soon joined by people sympathizing with her, feeling a need for change. The tent city grew, and thousands of tents were set up across the country with people vowing to stay until the government makes changes.”
CNN’s Kevin Flower notes-- estimates put the protest at 300 to 400,000 people-- but they had hoped for more.
KEVIN FLOWER, CNN: “Organizers of the protest called for a million people to take to the streets of Israel this night in a bid to reinvigorate political momentum for the movement, which was recently lost after two terror attacks and renewed conflict with Gaza-based militants. The hope here tonight is that a strong turnout will put the government on notice that the demands of the protesters are not going away.”
But as France 24 reports-- some suspect the government is banking on the movement losing stream.
KAREN CREED, FRANCE 24: “They blame the government for halting the construction of affordable housing over the past two years. Under pressure, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently announced the construction of 50,000 new social housing units, and he has formed a commission to deal with reform proposals. But the protesters are suspicious he’s simply trying to buy time.”
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