- Title: Israelis protest against government response to coronavirus
- Date: 11th July 2020
- Summary: TEL AVIV, ISRAEL (JULY 11, 2020 (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** THOUSANDS OF ISRAELIS GATHERING IN TEL AVIV ANGE+-36-360+RED BY AN INEPT GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO THE ECONOMIC HITS DURING THE COVID-19 CRISIS VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CARRYING BANNERS AND WEARING MASKS, DEMONSTRATING VARIOUS OF WOMAN WEARING MASK AND A RED WING UNIFORM DURING PROTEST MAN WITH A MASK CARRYING POSTER READING IN HEBREW "IT'S WARTIME TRANSFER THE MONEY' PROTESTER CARRYING ISRAELI FLAG DEMONSTRATOR WITH DRUMS DURING PROTEST (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARIEL REIDMAN, 40 YEARS OLD, SAYING: "I have a catering company that has been closed four months ago and I didn't have any event in the past four months. My catering company is working in big cooperate events and for the four past months I haven't had one event and I need compensation from the government to keep holding in the corona time so I can open my business again after the corona." WOMAN CARRYING POSTER AND PROTESTING/PROTESTER PLAYING WITH HORNS PROTESTER WITH BLACK MASK VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING (SOUNDBITE) (English) TIKI EDISON, 43 YEAR OLD, EVENT PRODUCER, SAYING: " I came to protest against the Israeli government that doesn't give us money we didn't work through all the four months of corona we didn't gain any money . I closed my business I fired all my workers and we are all sitting at home without any money." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS DEMONSTRATING ISRAELI BORDER POLICE RUNNING AFTER PROTESTERS POLICE PUSHING PROTESTER VARIOUS OF POLICE ARRESTING PROTESTER, AS PROTESTERS WERE TRYING TO CLOSE MAIN ROAD POLICE PUSHING PROTESTERS VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING WHILE BLOCKING MAIN ROAD/ POLICE AT SITE PROTESTERS MARCHING THE STREET
- Embargoed: 25th July 2020 22:34
- Keywords: Israel coronavirus economy health protest
- Location: TEL AVIV, ISRAEL
- City: TEL AVIV, ISRAEL
- Country: Israel
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001CMD7VIF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Thousands of Israelis demonstrated on Saturday (July 11) 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.
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.
(Production: Roleen Tafakji/Rami Amichay/Illan Rosenberg) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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