More than 700 people participate in May Day march in demand of social justice

More than 700 people, including students, youth movement members and leftists, attended a march in Jerusalem as part of May Day events.

Marching under the banner, "Workers not Slaves" the protesters carried signs that read "An entire generation demands a future" and "The people demand social justice."

Ziv Rosenberg, one of the organizers of the event, told Ynet this was the first step in resuming last summer´s social protest. "We are here to say that any party that seeks election must provide solutions to the social demands raised in the past year."

"This is a protest of the social-economic Left," said activist Martin Weiler. "This is a cross-partisan social-democratic statement. Our aim is to remind the public that the Israeli worker´s dire situation is not the wish of a higher force but the result of a deliberate economic policy by the current government. We demand that the political system work to change the socio-economic system."

Itay Gottler, chairman of the Hebrew University Student Union said, "Our message is that any government that is formed must bring about a change." Among the speakers in the rally were former Black Panthers leader Reuven Abarjel and Ethiopian activist Yahoo Tganiya. The protest was also attended by two haredi members of the Equality Now movement.

"The haredim suffer from the same hardships as the seculars: inequality, major gaps and a socio-economic policy that must change," he said. (Copyright 2012 © Yedioth Internet 05/05/12)