Nationwide protests 

Under PM Netanyahu’s leadership, the current government is planning to overhaul Israel’s judicial system. News about the expected changes has caused Israelis to protest for weeks. At the end of February, over 300,000 Israelis in cities such as Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Herzlya, Haifa and Beersheba participated in mass protests. Former PM Ehud Barak joined the protestors, encouraging people to disobedience. Following Barak’s comments, the Likud Party filed a complaint against him with the police. 

 Deadly February 

 A total of fourteen Israelis were killed in February by Palestinian Arabs. Terrorist attacks took the lives of children, teenagers, sons, mothers and fathers─ civilians and soldiers. The latest victim was an American-Israeli, Elan Ganeles (26), who visited Israel to attend a friend’s wedding. He was shot to death near the Dead Sea while driving to the event. Elan served as a computer programmer in the IDF before returning to the States. Elan’s parents arrived to the funeral as they wanted their son to be buried in Israel. Elan is the last on the right in the above picture collection. The two young men next to him were soldiers who were killed a day before Elan. May they all rest in peace.