Some 200 state-employed social workers took to the streets of Jerusalem on Tuesday morning, near the Cords Bridge, protesting what they call “government foot-dragging” regarding the Finance Ministry’s promises to them for increased security against attacks in the capacity of their work.

The protests have been taking place over recent months around the country, but according to the protesters, the Finance Ministry is guilty of foot-dragging and there have no been changes as promised.

Protesters explained that just recently, the social services offices in Emanuel was set afire and elsewhere, a there were two attacks against social workers in Jerusalem as well as an attack against a social worker participating in a court hearing in a Tel Aviv courthouse. Protest leaders state there are many other examples also and the promises of security guards and other security measures have to date remained in the realm of promises, nothing more. They called on Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon to act to unfreeze badly-needed funding to increase security for the social workers.

During the Tuesday morning protest, they entered the roadway and blocked traffic from time-to-time.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)