SELF-EMPLOYED ISRAELIS DEMAND COVID FINANCIAL AID

Thousands of Israelis demonstrated in Tel Aviv on Saturday, demanding financial aid for self-employed workers whose businesses have been hit hard by restrictions in place due to the coronavirus crisis, Haim Zach reported for the Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa).

The demonstration went ahead despite efforts by government officials to stop it, including a multibillion-dollar aid package proposal unveiled on Thursday night, and a meeting between the prime minister and finance minister with representatives of the self-employed and business owners on Friday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the plan would be submitted for cabinet approval next week and grants will be transferred to the self-employed and business owners immediately.

But the protestors are skeptical that the promises made in the plan will be implemented and seek to put pressure on the government until they are. "We will stop the protests when the money is in the bank," Ronen Miley, a protest organizer told Channel 12. The unemployment rate in Israel is currently 21 per cent. The police limited the protest to 1,800 people in light of the rising numbers of coronavirus infections as the country battles against a second wave of infections. The turnout, however, appeared to be much larger.