Thousands of people took part Saturday night, November 28, in protests against the neo-liberal government’s controversial agreement with major energy companies for the production of natural gas. According to Channel 10, over 8,000 people took part the protest at Habima Square in Tel Aviv, as the police blocked traffic along several main roads in the city. Hundreds more attended similar demonstrations in Jerusalem, Haifa, Beersheba, Atlit, Arad, Rosh Pina, Kyriat Shmona and Ashdod.

A banner carried by activists from the Young Communist League of Israel (Banki-Shabiba) in Saturday night’s demonstration against the gas deal in Tel-Aviv reads: “Nationalize the Gas” (Photo: Zo Haderech weekly)

As in every Saturday night in recent months, rallies took place all over the country, including the major cities of Tel Aviv, Haifa, Be’er Sheva, Ashdod and Jerusalem. This was the first time the protests were broadcast live by dozens of protesters who were enlisted to “create the largest social-issue broadcast ever in Israel.” Protesters marching through the streets in the various cities blocked some thoroughfares to traffic. In the large demonstration against the gas deal held in Tel-Aviv, a banner carried by activists from the Young Communist League of Israel (Banki-Shabiba) read: “Nationalize the Gas!”

Protesters carried signs condemning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who initiated the plan; Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, who has stepped back from dealing with the issue because of a conflict of interests; and Negev and Galilee Development Minister Arye Dery, who recently resigned from his additional post as Economy Minister, so as not to block approval of the plan. Yitzhak Tshuva, the major shareholder in the Delek group, which owns all of Israel’s off-shore gas reserves, and Tshuva’s American partner, Noble Energy, were other targets of the protesters, who denounced cronyism between the government, local big business, and foreign capitalists.