Israelis protest Netanyahu’s government budget
(23 May 2023) RESTRICTION SUMMARY ASSOCIATED PRESS Jerusalem - 23 May 2023 1. Wide of crowds of demonstrators protesting against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposed budget 2. Zoom out from flags and signs to protesters 3. Mid of women dressed as characters from Margaret Atwood's novel “The Handmaid's Tale” 4. Protesters waving Israeli flags 5. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Shikma Bressler, protest leader: ++NIGHT SHOT++ “We see the coalition agreements and we tell them that we know - only in a non-democratic country money is distributed so blatantly to allies. Only people without a democratic concept are able to distribute a public budget in such a manner.” 6. Close of protesters waving bonnets ++NIGHT SHOT++ 7. Various of protesters marching 8. SOUNDBITE (English) Evyatar Erell, protester: “The budget is not allocated for building bridges, or building schools, or supporting higher education. It is devoted entirely for purposes that will serve nothing at all to promote the growth and development of Israel in the future.” 9. Zoom out of protesters marching 10. Various of protesters 11. SOUNDBITE (English) Marsha Kaitz, protester: “We are trying to save our children, our children’s education, the health system. As it is now, billions of dollars, billions of dollars have gone to the religious sector, who do not defend the country, except by prayer, who do not die in battle as our sons and daughters do, and who do not contribute to the finances of this country, as do most of the secular and working religious.” 12. Wide of protest STORYLINE: Several thousand flag-waving Israelis demonstrated outside the parliament building on Tuesday in protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s budget. Netanyahu’s government on Tuesday was preparing to pass a new budget - a step that could bring some stability to his coalition after a rocky start and clear the way for it to press ahead with its religious, pro-settlement agenda. While the expected passage of the budget could buy Netanyahu some quiet inside the coalition, it also was expected to deepen the divisions in Israel. Critics have accused Netanyahu of increasing spending on his ultra-Orthodox allies for religious programmes that have little benefit for the economy and broader society. The government had faced a May 29 deadline to pass the budget or be forced into a new round of elections. The vote scheduled for late Tuesday or early Wednesday would approve a budget through 2024, giving Netanyahu up to two years of quiet after weeks of tense negotiations with his coalition partners. Netanyahu formed the coalition, a collection of ultra-Orthodox and ultranationalist parties, last year after the country’s fifth election in under four years. That election, like its predecessors, was largely a referendum on Netanyahu’s fitness to rule while facing corruption charges. The government took office in late December and almost immediately found itself mired in controversy, both at home and with its allies abroad. A plan to overhaul the country’s judicial system has triggered months of mass protests and raised concerns overseas. Proponents say the measures are needed to rein in an overzealous Supreme Court, but critics say the plan would destroy the country's system of checks and balances. Meanwhile, the coalition's commitment to expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem have angered allies. The new budget has been criticized for allocating nearly $4 billion in discretionary funds for ultra-Orthodox and pro-settler parties. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
