Thousands have rallied in six major Israeli cities including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in protest against tax hikes and other austerity measures presented as part of the countrys new budget. Rallies on Saturday took place in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Modiin, Rishon Lezion and Ashdod with more than 12,000 people protesting across Israel. In Tel Aviv alone, 10,000 outraged people were carrying signs Where's the money? With the tycoons, dummy" and "Look us in the eyes tomorrow," Ynetnews reports. Some 200 people were demanding social justice in Jerusalem while several hundred blocked an intersection in Haifa. Protesters were calling Israels February election the biggest lie in the countrys history, demanding that the elected parties fulfill their promises. The Yesh Atid and Habayit Hayehudi parties would not have gotten all their votes had it not been for the social protest, Daphni Leef, one of the leaders of the protest told Ynetnews. It is our responsibility to go out there and do whatever we can to make them stop digging deep into our pockets and start to impose real corporate tax. One of the leaders of the 2011 social protest, MK Itzik Shmuli, was marching with the crowd claiming that Finance Minister Yair Lapids plan will severely hurt the working man and will trample the weak sectors of the economy. "To block it, we will wage a persistent battle on the streets and in the halls of the Knesset, Shmuli told Haaretz. Israelis don't expect their finance minister to be a socialist, but they don't expect him to be a populist, either. [They expect him] only to fulfill the promises he has been making up until last week. The austerity plan, which the Israeli cabinet is expected to discuss on Monday, includes a $1.8 billion cut in governments 2013 budget and a further $5 billion cut during 2014. The Finance Ministry is also pushing forward an increase of income and value added taxes by 1.5 and 1 per cent respectively. http://rt.com/news/israel-protest-budget-income-tax-163/ 12,000 is not insignificant in a place so small. That is one thing. Notice that it takes them to lose a sheckle to take to the streets, what a shame 12,000 cannot take to the streets and declare 'Can we please stop being Infanticidal lunatics'? Perhaps they could urgently message the near satanic Red Shields - ask them for a donation?
Like I said in another thread, standards of living in the US will go down because of cuts and tax increases to pay for the wars and financial crisis. The wealthy have got it figured out. They are going to make common people of the world, pay for the wars and to prop up the global financial system. Meanwhile, people do not realize that the wealthy are increasing their wealth, at the expense of common people. Then they create divisions among the people to serve as a distraction from the real issue. People better wake up. It's coming to your town!!!!
To be honest, I woke up long long ago, and have reached the stage where I have washed my hands of those who have not. What's the use? A person only has so much emotional energy to give, so if others are too lazy, apathetic or dumbed down - so be it. I prefer to reach out to a more reasonable audience, comprising of people like yourself.
The wealthiest of Israel’s elite are starting to seek out new homes elsewhere. This should tell us something about what may be in store. Some of us may remember Marc Rich, possibly the biggest tax dodger in US history, who fled to Israel. About seven years ago, just as Clinton was leaving office, Marc Rich got a pardon dropped in his lap. He may have been the first of many wealthy Jews looking to escape Israel. Another super-rich Jew has recently relocated. The Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz reports: “Israeli diamond billionaire Lev Leviev, who immigrated to Israel from Uzbekistan in 1971, has bought the most expensive new property ever sold in Britain -a $70 million home with a bullet-proof front door costing $100,000, British real estate dealers said on Tuesday. The 51-year-old businessman best known for his diamond trading company and who is estimated to be worth $6.5 billion, is expected to move with his wife and two of his nine children.” Ha’aretz goes on to say: “Leviev, who is said to have immigrated to Israel without a penny to his name, also has homes in Israel, New York and Moscow, but is thought to favor a move to London because of high taxes in Israel. The seven-bedroom house in the exclusive north London district of Hampstead boasts a $1.5 million stone staircase constructed using 150-year-old carving techniques and an indoor swimming pool with gold-plated mosaic tiles. The Palladian-style home also features a gym, sauna, ballroom and cinema, a private hair salon and a one-tone bathroom basin carved from a single piece of white Iranian onyx.Once installed in his new home, Leviev will be protected not only by the bullet-proof front door but by 25 security cameras and a high-tech alarm system that can be controlled remotely - from a yacht in the Caribbean if necessary. In his front garden is a topiary bush that cost $40,000 to shape, and should he get cold there is a $200,000 hand-carved stone fireplace in the living room .” Well, now we know how the other half lives. Ha’aretz continues: “A London property agent who asked not to be named said $70 million was the highest ever paid for a new property in Britain. The most paid for any property is believed to be $128 million spent by steel billionaire Lakshmi Mittal for a London mansion. He recently launched a company in London and opened a flagship diamond store in exclusive Bond Street, competing directly with De Beer’s, the South African-based company that has traditionally been the world’s largest diamond dealer. Leviev’s decision to spend millions on London property comes despite a downturn in Britain’s once red-hot market. After nearly 10 years of steady growth, prices have tapered in recent months and are even expected to fall in the coming year.” --- That was in 2008 - Now - inApril 2013 Israel’s wealthiest man is moving to London amid a row in the Jewish state over plans to squeeze more taxes out of the rich. Idan Ofer, who is reported to be worth some $6.5bn, will join the increasing number expats in the capital who enjoy substantially lower charges on their wealth than they pay at home. The move is also likely to reignite a row over the lowering last week of the top rate of income tax. Mr Ofer, a magnate whose business interests span energy, shipping and transport, is the head of Quantum Pacific Group which holds the Ofer family stake in Israel Corporation, the largest public holding company on the Tel Aviv stock exchange. Like his similarly wealthy older brother, Eyal, Idan Ofer inherited his business acumen – and much of his wealth - from his father, Sammy, one of Israel’s most successful businessmen who died a couple of years ago. ------ The Israeli economy, which has been firing on all cylinders while others have been hit by the credit crunch in recent years, has itself shown recent signs of running out of steam. Street protests in Tel Aviv – including one where a man set himself alight – have demanded the cost of living for ordinary Israelis be reduced. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...t-to-move-to-london-amid-tax-row-8566269.html ....
By itself it is a fair enough cause, and global it is too. However, given the sheer chutzpah of it, on this occasion, I have no empathy with them. After all, they still live better than those whose lands they occupy, right?
Rest easy, the US will double its yearly payment. The check is in the mail. http://www.councilforthenationalint...or-2014-a-record-high-of-$34-billion-per-year
Just another day in the life of democratic country, Jack. We all used to people protesting this, and boycotting that... that's what democracy is all about. incidentally, do they protest or boycott anything in countries of strict Islam? Hm... nope... YES! They take to the streets when someone so much as to depict Muhammed on paper, or say truth about Islam. Then they demonstrate... boy, do they ever
Yup. Never doubt it. Looking after them there, looking after them + giving special treatment, right in your own country. - - - Updated - - - Yup. Never doubt it. Looking after them there, looking after them + giving special treatment, right in your own country.
I feel you Jack. What's far out is that people have been so brainwashed, that if you try to tell the truth about what's happening to them, they will lash out at you as the enemy. Actually, I was thinking the other morning. Somebody said, in another thread, that democracy was to be used take power from the Taliban. But think about it. If you extend that concept further, really it could be used to take power away from anyone that people with a lot of wealth wanted. And that's essentially what they attempt to do. You look at a place like Venezuela, what they attempted to do, with money, was to take power away from Chavez. However, it was not effective. But they tried real hard. So any place where there is a democracy and there is a threat to the interests of the rich, they will use the power of money, to fund an opposition to take that person down. Failing that, then they resort to a coup, usually engineered by the CIA, or someone with close CIA ties. So the bottom line is that, democracy in it's practical application, is not used to empower common people, but rather to empower the rich. And when you really think about it, in the United States, back when it declared independence from Britain, it was more about the wealthy being tired of sending their money over to the king. The rich were not interested in empowering the masses so much as they didn't want a king taking their money. To get an idea about the type of thinking that was going on, here's a quote from Alexander Hamilton:
Interesting. They make there money, leave everyone else ragged, and retreat to their life of luxury. The rich have also been buying gold by the ton. Here's an interesting article from a couple of years ago, that can also give us an idea of what may be in store. They have their plan. They will get filthy rich robbing everyone else dry, leave the financial system in shambles, and then leave common people holding the big bag of massive debt. The common people will simply work, paying the debt off and surviving off of what is left. These people are so filthy rich, that they can afford to buy gold by the ton, even at $1500 an ounce! Think about that. Super-rich investors buy gold by ton
The shot callers and their media poodles knew full well the so called Taliban were no threat to anyone, least of all us, least of all anything that remotely interests us. Not good enough for them. They needed to make the Taliban a concern for us, and how do they do that, same methodology as the advertising principle of tell, tell, and tell again. Sooner or later, esp alongside apt spooky pics, the public will suck it all up, in good enough number that they will wave you on as you go about expending young Americans lives, not to mention all other life. Soon, every armchair chump thinks they are an expert on the Taliban, because Glen Beck told them... Who would in turn borrow his BS from men like Frum, Pearle, and Wolfowitz for instance. Agents of those that want to sell you the 'we need to STOP the Taliban' narrative. What was Afghanistan really for and about? I mean really, not their fairy stories. After all, there is usually gain to their insanity, right? You could argue it benefits their arms industry wing, and I am sure that may be true. However, it is my view, based on due consideration over time, that the reasons and motives could almost be a mirror image of why British soldiers were once used like a private army, to fight the addled Chinese. Control of the opium resource. Make no mistake, that is a valuable commodity.
Least there is money and wealth in those nations where protests occur unlike the majority of nations who clamp down on protests such as this. I remember the Occupy movement when it came to my nation, people clamoring for jobs when less than twenty miles away there were jobs paying fifty k a year year plus living allowance that they couldn't fill. - - - Updated - - - Jack, it has been twelve years and you still don't know? Try google. Golly.
The money is probably going up in flames with every explosion of an iron dome missile or a bomb dropped on Palestinians. When you're surrounded by people who want to destroy you, it costs a hell of a lot to defend yourself, even with help from the United States.
I agree that the Taliban threat has been over stated. Opium may have something to do with. That would be pretty ruthless, but not unbelievable if that is true. I think part of the reason was to be able to create instability in Pakistan and weaken it. There were quite a few rumors that some big time terrorists in Pakistan were actually receiving CIA support. It is alleged that Pakistan even started complaining that they were telling the US to target Baitullah Meshud but they were refusing to do so. Here's a rather interesting article on the death of a major figure in the Pakistan Taliban who deflected from Baithullah. He was killed just days after doing so and claiming that Baitullah was working with US intelligence to destabilize Pakistan Whistleblower Who Linked Taliban Leader To US Intelligence Is Assassinated Although I would strongly suggest reading the entire article, here's an excerpt Here's an rather interesting article that appeared some time ago US told not to back terrorism against Pakistan
Thanks P - will have a proper read over that later. *** Israel’s Netanyahu spent $127k on sleeping cabin, sparked outcry: Israeli media say Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spent $127,000 for a controversial sleeping cabin installed on a plane to carry the premier of the Tel Aviv regime and his wife to London in April. Israel’s Channel 10 recently reported that Netanyahu spent $127,000 in public funds on the special sleeping cabin for the five-hour flight from Tel Aviv to London for the funeral of former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Netanyahu’s office initially defended the decision, saying the Israeli premier had a busy schedule ahead of the flight and needed to be fresh for important meetings in the UK. Following a public outcry over the cost of installation of the cabin on the chartered El Al flight, Israeli authorities claimed that Netanyahu had been unaware of the amount of the spending. Netanyahu’s controversial spending comes as thousands Israelis took to the streets in Tel Aviv and other cities on May 11 to protest against painful austerity measures and tax hikes. Earlier this year, it was revealed that a large portion of Israeli taxpayer money is being spent on Netanyahu family’s ice-cream and makeup cravings. The Israeli prime minister has awarded a contract valued at NIS 10,000 (about $2,716) to his favorite ice cream shop, Metudela, to keep him supplied with vanilla and pistachio ice-cream. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that the budget for Netanyahu and his wife’s clothing totals some NIS 50,000 a year (about $13,580). The Israeli prime minister and his family also have a limousine and a driver. The Israeli daily added that some NIS 35,000 (about $8,960) a year is also paid to the people who do the makeup for the Netanyahu family. There has long been a total lack of transparency with regard to the expenses of Israeli prime minister’s residence and office. http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/05/13/303246/netanyahu-spent-127k-on-sleeping-cabin/
As you infer, a media term like "the Taliban" is often used as what they call in the industry a 'trigger point' intended to whip-up hate and fear in the general population. In other words, it's used in the media as a catch-all and generic term for propaganda purposes much like, for example, "Al Qaeda" and "terrorists" is.
