my cousin up north is also busy with the protest and he’s got a lot to say and do.  I hope this code works. let me know

Here’s what he wrote me yesterday:

https://www.facebook.com/pfbid0H14rL5gyyboAsUGB2Wo8bZfEVnZyxizA3J34w6NY8fnFieHKDhh6r6Vaes6uDvwGl/videos/pcb.10168195426705096/303415438946354
Clip above is from the last day of the Northern Israel Protest March
Oct. 10 Update:
Life in Israel is crazy now and it is hard for those outside of Israel to imagine what it’s like to drop everything at least once a week to protest for 36 weeks straight, go on 3-day protest marches during a heat wave, follow government ministers to every event just so that they will listen. But that is life in Israel now. Why? Because we love our country and scared that we will lose our rights – our democracy is under attack – not from enemies on our border or Palestinian terrorists, but from our own elected leaders who have been systematically dismantling our institutions (IDF, security forces, independent judiciary, educational system and more). The top positions in Israel’s civil service and government owned companies have become patronage positions to filled by loyal friends and supporter regardless of their qualifications. Our economy is faltering and the type of protection rackets associated Chicago in the days of Al Capone are running rampant in Israel’s north and south, and in Arab communities that are begging for police protection. For more information on the scope of the proposed laws that if passed, will wipe out Israel’s democracy go to https://dictatura.today/en/ .
Today’s update:
All eyes are on the Supreme Court hearing of a petition regarding the new “Basic Law” to prevent the court from throwing out a law that is “grossly unreasonable”, and on whether the government will abide by the court’s ruling. Expect the next update later in the week after the court hearing when all hell may break loose here.
Yesterday’s highlights:
1. The 3-day Northern Israel protest march ended at Tel Hai in Metulla. After hearing the concerns of local residents along the way, one of the protest leaders, Moshe Radman pointed out that only 7% of the buildings in northern Israel that sit on the fault line have been earthquake proofed. This is a disaster waiting to happen, but the amount needed to earthquake proof the remaining 93% is 2.3 billion ILS ($600 million). At the same time that government could not find money for this, they added the same 2.3 billion ILS to the budget for a stipend that allows religious students to study in a Yeshiva instead of military service.
2. Another 1/4 million Israelis protested at 150 sites across the country, 120,000 at the main protest site in Tel Aviv alone (according to Israel’s largest newspaper). A driver was arrested and protesters fined 1,000 ILS ($260) each after the driver drove into and injured five protesters who blocked the Ayalon highway. The driver, who claimed that he mistook the accelerator for the brake pedal, was later released. Some of the demonstrators in Tel Aviv marched to the homes of Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana and Minister for the Development of the Periphery, the Negev and the Galilee, Yitzhak Wasserlauf.
3. 15 US senators call to delay Israel entry into visa waiver program. For details see: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-758223
Upcoming Events
Tomorrow: At 6 PM in Israel (11:AM EST) protestors will demonstrate outside the Supreme Court in Jerusalem to send a message that the Court has the Israeli people’s full support to strike down the government’s anti-democratic legislation that would remove the Court’s ability to declare government action “unreasonable.” This clause was used by the Supreme Court in January of this year to strike down Ariyeh Deri’s appointment as both Finance Minister and Health Minister despite having served jail time for corruption and later convicted of tax evasion.
Next Week: Next week Netanyahu goes on a frivolous trip on the tax payers dime. He will travel for a full week with an entourage and security detail that will all stay at the most luxurious hotels; he and Sara will eat at the most expensive restaurants and burn through a budget that make Vladimir Putin, 3rd world dictators and MBS blush with jealousy. And all for one day of meetings in the Silicon valley and a speech at the UN that he could have scheduled back-to-back.
How can you help? Send an email to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (bnetanyahu@knesset.gov.il) with a CC to your congressman or to AIPAC. Let him know that as supporter of Israel you are concerned that his government will refuse to abide by the decision of the Israeli Supreme Court. Include your name and address so that he knows that your congressman and/or AIPAC is listening.
Link for regular updates in English: https://chat.whatsapp.com/LZT7kR3H17GG0BiuyXEJRP
Link to a great English-language source of information on what is really happening in Israel: https://en.restart-israel.co.il/