Israeli youth follow Greta's footsteps, march for the planet - pictures
"Promise us you will take care of the climate crisis immediately," they said, "that it will be above personal politics - pass the laws that will prevent the next ecological disaster."
By SARAH BEN-NUNThousands of Israeli youth protesting the climate crisis in Tel Aviv, March 19, 2021. (photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/MAARIV)
Israeli teenagers have taken up an election issue of their own: climate change, with thousands advocating for it in a Tel Aviv march on Friday morning. Activist groups have been organizing marches over the last few days, to create noise and gain traction on the issue, specifically for the current election candidates, as Israel's next Knesset is voted in on Tuesday. Thousands of Israeli youth protesting the climate crisis in Tel Aviv, March 19, 2021. (Credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/MAARIV)
"Promise us you will take care of the climate crisis immediately," they said. "That it will be above personal politics – pass the laws that will prevent the next ecological disaster."
The march will culminate at Habimah Square, with the message of "Choosing climate - choosing life." Thousands of Israeli youth protesting the climate crisis in Tel Aviv, March 19, 2021. (Credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/MAARIV)
"The climate threat applies to all of us, and I am afraid," said Yasmin Stern, 15. "Here we are with another election, an election in which this topic is getting sidelined. Meanwhile, we are dealing with the largest crisis that humanity has faced."
In order to emphasize the severity of the planet's situation, once the protesters reach the square, they will conduct a countdown, and emphatically fall down, symbolizing the future destruction if nothing is done to address the climate crisis.
"We are taking to the streets with a clear message: It is time to stop neglecting our future," added Stern. Thousands of Israeli youth protesting the climate crisis in Tel Aviv, March 19, 2021. (Credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/MAARIV)
The march, titled Strike for Future Israel, is part of Greta Thunberg's iconic Fridays for Future, a movement she founded in which students skip school on Fridays to protest climate change and demand action from political leaders.
On September 18, 2019, a crowd of an estimated 40,000 teens and pre-teens gathered in New York City for a Friday protest.
"While politicians are busy with yet another election, it would be more appropriate to pay attention to the thousands of teenangers, ranging across the entire social spectrum, who showed up to protest the climate issue," said Gili Ben-Dor, form the Green Course activist group.
"They need to understand that the youth is losing faith in them," he added.
