Tens of thousands gather across Israel for social justice marches; Noam Schalit: We are fighting for Gilad’s right to live.
Tens of thousands of Israelis took part in several protests on Saturday night, as the social issues movement resumed in force.
Rallies were held in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Rishon Lezion, Bikat Ono, Katzrin, Jaffa, Harish and Tiberias. Organizers, citing what they said were police figures, said more than 20,000 people took part in the Tel Aviv event on Ibn Gvirol Street.
That rally was highlighted by remarks from Noam Schalit, father of kidnapped soldier Gilad Schalit, held by Hamas in Gaza since June 2006.
The speech marked Schalit’s first public collaboration with the tent-city movement, and was called to show solidarity between the movement to free his son and the social issues movement, and ahead of Gilad’s 25th birthday on Sunday.
Categories: Israel, Middle East