Prices are high and salaries are low… that is not news.
Last week a record number of Israelis left on summer holiday,
and fewer tourists came for the Israeli summer heat,
but the streets are not empty, for there are demonstrations, protests and parades.
Some of the ‘tent city’ folks joined with the Gay Pride Parade
in Gan Ha’atzmaut, Independence Park.
There have been comparisons to the “Arab Spring”,
but the policemen were sitting on the grass, not attacking the crowds.
The demonstration had colorful balloons and hundreds of tank tops, not tanks.
Cameras fill the streets, as the media is out to capture every minute of this one.
In Paris Square, a counter demonstration is small and loud,
but only a few security people seem to pay attention.
A new sign was posted specially for this Israeli summer event.
Noam Shalit, father of Gilad Shalit, came out of his protest tent
and joined the crowd to watch the Gay Pride Parade.
Main streets were closed, but many people were unaware of the parade,
so they got to experience the traffic jams of another protest in the Israeli summer.
The doctors’ strike continues,
and the head of the medical association is on a hunger strike.
Since everyone is protesting this summer, I protest…
that with so many police on the corner, not one would help direct traffic.
On Friday morning, thousands of mourners stood in the blazing summer sun for
the funeral of the Baba Elazar who was murdered in his home in Beer Sheva,
but buried in Har Hazeitim Cemetery in Jerusalem.
A year ago was the funeral of Rav Yehudah Amital z”l.
The month of Av has only just begun…
more Israeli summer to come.
