Sderot protest clogs central Tel Aviv streets

Around 200 people from Sderot blocked streets in central Tel Aviv yesterday to protest the government's inability to stop Qassam rocket strikes on their city.

Protesters blocked the Ayalon Highway and the intersection of Arlosoroff Street and Begin Way, just by the Central Train Station. Police showed restraint and allowed the demonstrators to block the roads for a few minutes.

They raised banners reading "We are not sitting ducks" and "No security, no shelters, no government" and called for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's resignation.

During the rally, demonstrators sounded sirens and lay down on the street, simulating a rocket attack. Some of them held the remains of Qassams that had exploded.

"The purpose of the protest is to awaken the people from central Israel from their sleep," Daniel Swisa, 50, of Sderot said. "We expect central Israelis to support us. For seven years, we have been bombarded with rockets. Sderot looks like a ghost town."

Meanwhile in Jerusalem, hundreds of protesters gathered yesterday at a protest tent erected by Sderot residents outside the Prime Minister's office.

"Olmert, resign!" shouted activist Alon Davidi, 37, who stood beside fellow activist Batya Katar. Both are from Be'er Sheva. For over two years, Katar and Davidi have been protesting the ongoing attacks on Sderot. Davidi is affiliated with the National Union party. Katar was initially not affiliated with any political party but recently joined billionaire Arcadi Gaydamak's movement.

Together, they established the Committee for Sderot's Security and petitioned the High Court of Justice to get the state to reinforce the city's schools against Qassam attacks. "On Friday, I protested with a number of neighbors," Katar said, wearing a hat with the slogan "We want life to return to Sderot." Shirts were sold to passersby and MK Uri Ariel of the National Religious Party cane to visit. Longtime Sderot mayor Eli Moyal sat nearby.

When they heard that Osher Twito was seriously hurt by a Qassam, they drove to Jerusalem to attend an impromptu protest with other residents and after two years of trying to block the main entrance to the city, they finally succeeded. "I was filled with strength when I saw it," said Davidi.

Both participated in the protests that blocked the Ayalon Highway.

"When I was in Tel Aviv and I saw how much the Tel Aviv residents support us, I realized we were on the right track," Davidi said. "I realized that we managed to upset Olmert's plan to divide us into two nations, the State of Tel Aviv where people sit and sip coffee, and the State of Sderot where they sit and hear sirens."