In Israel ‘it’s the economy, stupid’
Will economic grievances bring down the government of Binyamin Netanyahu?
On Saturday, more than 250,000 Israelis took to the streets in protest over the rising cost of living in the country and the growing social divide it is creating. This social movement of people demanding their share of Israel’s new economic prosperity is posing an increasingly powerful challenge to Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, and his coalition.
In response to what was one of the largest demonstrations in Israel’s history, and its biggest-ever on social and economic issues, Netanyahu promised to address the peoples’ demands.
On this episode we ask: Will Netanyahu’s government manage to defuse the rage? And can they succeed in stopping the Arab Spring reaching Israel?
Inside Story, with presenter Stephen Cole, discusses political and economic power in Israel with guests: Avi Sinhon, the chief economic adviser to the Israeli finance minister; Anshel Feffer, a correspondent on Israeli and international politics at the daily Israeli newspaper, Haaretz; and Ofri Raviv, the vice chairman of the National Union of Israeli Students.