So, in the past couple of weeks a revolution has started throughout Israel. People everywhere are camping out in protest of the rising prices of just about everything!
It started when the price of cottage cheese went up (I kid you not!) and it has snowballed ever since! People are fed up of paying double what other countries are paying for the exact same product and now all around the country folk are camping out on the streets in protest to…
1) housing prices and the cost of rent in relation to what people are earning.
2) how much doctors are earning (it really is scandalously low).
3) the price of baby formula, nappies, and general things babies need (as a mum to be this one really gets to me as a pram in Israel is double price for the same one you can buy in the UK!!)
4) petrol and car prices
The list goes on…
It’s not a violent protest, people are simply demanding that the government look after us better and when you consider than many folk are paying up to 40% taxes, it’s not really too much to ask for, is it?
Celebrities are visiting these “camp sites” to provide free entertainment to the masses and the TV vans are parked there 24/7 waiting for the next news programme to start so more protesters can be interviewed.
I drove past on Friday night and the atmosphere was electric! People have brought sofas to the street so they’re comfy as they hang out and protest. People were lounging around drinking beer (one protester even had an entire drum kit to play! ) and if you didn’t know any better it may seem like a summer camp to many tourists – but in the city centre on the main boulevards.
There is a real sense of community in the camps, that are popping up all over the country and as they are taking up so much media coverage, there is a hope that they will make a difference and the prices will become more “sane”. The government has had to start talking about the situation seriously as it is all anyone is talking abut throughout the country.
Only time will tell, but in the meantime…
If you’re looking for a cheap holiday in the sun, why not come to Israel! You only need to buy a flight and then you can camp on one of the best streets in central Tel Aviv for free!
