Massive protests in Israel over violence against women

NEWS DESK

Thousands of women staged strikes and demonstrations in Israel on Tuesday (December 4, 2018) to protest violence against women in Israel, calling for more governmental action and funding to deal with the problem.

The demonstrations followed the killing of two women last week, raising the number of women and young women killed in Israel as a result of violence this year to 24, according to Israeli media reports.

The women refused to go to work, and took part in demonstrations in several cities around Israel, where some roads were closed. Demonstrators held a minute of silence in honor of the 24 victims.

According to Voice of America Agency, the demonstrators, who wore red flags, called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "wake up" and carried banners reading "Women's Blood is not Cheap" and "We Are Being Killing and the Government Is Silent."

The agency added "Protest organizers want the government to implement a $ 67 million plan promised last year to combat violence against women."

It is worth mentioning that at least 24 women have been killed in Israel this year as a result of the violence against them.

Netanyahu spoke on Sunday of a recent visit to the women's shelter, and then decided to chair a government committee to combat violence. He pledged that the committee would meet repeatedly to "give these women hope and a better future."

The agency said "tens of Israeli companies and municipalities supported the strike on Tuesday, hundreds of institutions, municipalities, schools and organizations said they would allow their employees to strike. The civil service commissioner in the government also made concessions to enable the strike to take place. These protests are the result of divisions in Israeli society.

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ANHA