“Trying To Break Us Down”: Mass Protests Hit Israel As 2nd Nationwide Lockdown Takes Effect

Israel’s Health ministry cited a recent spike in COVID-19 cases in making the argument last week that a new national lockdown is warranted; however, government ministers concerned about the devastating impact on small businesses as well as freedom of worship clashed with factions pushing the new lockdown.

Tel Aviv bars rebrand as synagogues to protest virus lockdown rules https://t.co/PfaN9Y8DAK

— The Times of Israel (@TimesofIsrael) September 16, 2020

It comes as new infections have risen 5,000 on some days, bringing the country to over 175,000 cases including 1,160 deaths.

Israelis protest against virus lockdown in Tel Avivhttps://t.co/CsIqNzxhME pic.twitter.com/N7XF2CWwPM

— Yeni Şafak English (@yenisafakEN) September 18, 2020

The mainstay of the protests began Thursday night:

Hundreds of Israelis protested in Tel Aviv late Thursday against a second nationwide lockdown to combat Israel’s surging coronavirus outbreak.

“The economy is in free-fall, people are losing their jobs, they’re depressed,” said Yael, one of between 300 and 400 demonstrators at Habima Square.

And a recently laid off protester told The Times of Israel:

“And all this for what? For nothing!”

Ironically, though schools and business have been shuttered for at least two weeks starting Friday the government has said demonstrations still remain legal, so it’s expected more will pop up especially as the lockdown takes an economic toll, fueling resentment at the entire population being forced into quarantine.

Restaurants especially have been hit hard during the prior pandemic lockdown:

"We've been broken."

Restaurateurs in Tel Aviv smashed plates on Tuesday to protest a second nationwide coronavirus lockdown pic.twitter.com/SaoubMD9QN

— Bloomberg QuickTake (@QuickTake) September 15, 2020

Protest groups in downtown Tel Aviv decried that it was all a ploy of Prime Minister Netanyahu, designed to ensure his personal political survival by continuing to sell fear, especially as he’s still facing serious corruption charges.

“The shutdown is in order to turn us into submissive, suppressed sheep,” one protester told Russia’s RT. She argued that ultimately the new measures are “to try to break us down.”