The protest opposite Supreme Court Chief Justice Miriam Naor's home
Photo: Adi Rozenberg
Protestors demand solution to migrant problem outside chief justice's home
About 100 people gather outside the home of Supreme Court Chief Justice Miriam Naor in Jerusalem, calling on court to implement third-country protocol expelling migrants to other countries; Councilwoman Suzy Cohen: 'We've been living in a ghetto. We demand a solution.'
Some 100, residents of southern Tel Aviv
and their supporters, gathered Saturday night in front of the house of Supreme Court Chief Justice Miriam Naor in Jerusalem's Rechavia neighborhood to protest the drawn out legal proceedings concerning illegal African migrants who have flooded their neighborhoods.
Protestors carried Israeli flags and signs bearing inscriptions such as "High Court against the people, the people against the High Court" and "The elderly in the neighborhood want to live too."
"The debate over the third country protocol—according to which migrants are supposed to be sent to a third country—is still ongoing in the High Court after 20 months," said Sheffy Paz, one of the leaders of the southern Tel Aviv residents' protest.
Protestors bearing a sign saying "South Tel Aviv liberation front" (Photo: Mati Amar, TPS)
"We want a ruling, and we want it now. This feet-dragging has become policy, and in the meantime nothing gets done. The situation in south Tel Aviv is bad. There's an immense takeover, we're here losing our lives and the High Court just gives us the runaround."
"South Tel Aviv residents have been suffering for a decade," Eitan Tadmor, south Tel Aviv resident, called on a megaphone. "There's no Shabbat, no security, no nothing. There's no authority without accountability. We're not here to leave. We'll come back every week until the people of Rechavia (neighborhood) get a taste of our suffering. Enough of the cruelty to Tel Aviv's poorest people. Enough strengthening the infiltrators at our expense."
The South Tel Aviv residents' protest (Photo: Mati Amar, TPS)
"The judicial authority—which is supposed to protect us—is purposely dragging its feet. While the High Court justices live their lives in peace here, we live in a warzone," said Doron Avrahami, also a resident of south Tel Aviv. "There's a two-year lag on moving infiltrators to a third country, and it's simply not happening. The government made a decision, they should let it go through. It's simply impossible that every time they receive a petition, they reject it. There are hundreds of families living in fear in Shapira and HaTikva (neighborhoods). If the High Court wants (the infiltrators) so much, they should take them themselves."
"We've been living under terrorism and occupation for ten years now," commented city council member and resident of Kiryat Shalom Suzy Cohen. "We've been suffering violence and drunks in the streets, we've been living in a ghetto. We demand a solution."
Activists from right-wing movement Im Tirtzu also participated in Saturday's demonstration. "The High Court justices cannot continue their discriminatory policy against the residents of south Tel Aviv," said Alon Shwarterzer, head of Im Tirtzu's policy division.
