Most municipal authorities in Israel carried out a one day strike on Monday, as an act of solidarity with the popular protests which have arisen all throughout the country in the past weeks over housing prices.Many municipalities in Israeli did not give services to government offices, did not keep public office hours, and did not perform any street cleaning on Monday. The one day strike is a municipal action to show support and sympathy for the many Israeli’s who have been taking to the streets and protesting.

Staggeringly high housing prices have ignited widespread so called “tent protests” all over the country. Protesters have moved into tents in high value neighborhoods and public areas in all the major cities in Israel.

The protests have been growing in size and support, pushing the current Israeli government into a potentially major domestic political crisis.

Initial efforts by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to appease the protests have been inadequate, and are being hampered by conflict within the government. The treasury has opposed Netanyahu’s proposals, and on Sunday the Finance Ministry Director General resigned.

The conflict is seen by some as a defining moment for the nature of the Israeli state.

Also, there is concern as to what impact the housing crisis and any steps taken to alleviate it will have on illegal Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem.

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