Protesters in Tel-Aviv Slam Netanyahu’s Handling of COVID-19 Crisis (+Video)
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Tens of thousands packed streets of Tel-Aviv on Saturday to decry how Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu handled the coronavirus pandemic and its harsh economic fallout.
The rally at Rabin Square, which is a traditional protest spot in the city, was staged by self-employed, small business owners and students, who say that, unlike salaried workers, they never received the promised financial help from the government.
The demonstrators, who also neglected self-distancing rules, carried banners which read “Let us breathe” and jokingly asked for charity money to be sent to them via a baking app.
The measures were lifted in May under public pressure as unemployment rate reached staggering 21 percent. But the restrictions had to be reinstated as the virus made a comeback.
Israel has registered 37,000 coronavirus cases, with 350 fatalities. Netanyahu has recently said that Israel is "in a state of emergency" over COVID-19.