Tel Aviv Rooftop

Taken on Saturday night at the ever growing tent city on Sderot Rothschild and later at the march to the square outside Tel Aviv Museum. The organisers hoped for 5,000 people. 20,000 turned up. Mahapecha  (Revolution) says the sign above the shack and behind it, 'Rothschild corner Tahrir' It's hot ... Gathering by the square. At least in Tel Aviv, this is a revolution of nice middle class young people who have been squeezed too hard and aren't going to take it any more. Nor are the hard pressed doctors. The head of Israel's doctors' association has just embarked on a march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, while fasting and vowing not to break his fast until the doctors' demands are met by the government. Today, small groups of protestors blocked traffic at busy intersections throughout the country. more revolutionary images here

After the "cottage cheese revolution" on Facebook which forced the big dairy cartels to reduce prices or face the wrath of the consumer, a new protest movement has emerged and is camping out on swanky Rothschild Boulevard. Young people, some families with children, are protesting against prohibitively high rents which, combined with their low wages, make it impossible to make ends meet. Economists say that 70% of Israeli wage earners would have to pay more than one third of their income to repay their monthly mortgage repayments. In other words, they can't afford to purchase an average apartment. The "new homeless" have jobs, iphones and laptops but not enough disposable income to pay their constantly rising rents . "It drives me crazy" said one activist."Half of my wages goes on rent." "Add electricity, rates, water, internet and food and there's nothing left," said the mother of a son who was camping out. The Rothschil...