The second Human Rights March to ever take place in Israel comes in the backdrop of severe blows to Israeli democracy and human rights: From anti-democratic legislative proposals to slander campaigns waged against anyone deemed “disloyal”, and from the expanding socioeconomic gaps to mounting expressions of racism voiced by the public and its elected officials.
More than 120 organizations have joined the march, including groups working for narrowing the socioeconomic gaps, empowerment of women, against the Occupation, for equal citizenship and rights, the environment, and more. The march is the only event ever to take place in Israel, in which all these groups and individuals march together, each carrying a unique message but all united by the call for human rights.
Dozens of the participating human rights and social change organizations also signed a shared call addressed to the heads of state, published today (December 8): “Neglecting public services – education, welfare, health, housing and emergency services – is not a force of nature but rather a systematic policy that must be changed. The incapability of the fire fighters to deal with the blaze in the Carmel painfully demonstrated the danger of a policy that leads to dwindling public services”
The organizations call on the Israeli government:
Hagai El-Ad, ACRI Executive-Director: “Human Rights day, which is marked worldwide, should serve as a reminder to Israel’s leaders that human rights are everyone’s rights. The blazing fire in the Carmel was met with a malfunctioned system due to the neglect of Israel’s emergency services. This policy has a much wider effect, also impacting the social safety-net and other key public services. We demand that the government take its responsibility seriously, and take action to safeguard the human rights of each and every one of us”.
For the full list of organization marching – see our blog (in Hebrew): www.themarch.org.il
