Rifts are widening between the tent protest leaders and the National Union of Israeli Students. Tent protest leaders Dafni Leef and Stav Shafir are calling for expanding the budget deficit to meet the social protest's demands, while the Student Union is calling for dialogue. There is a third splinter group, headed by Yigal Rambam, which wants to fold up the tents.
"The struggle has just begun," said Rambam in a statement, which was not signed by Leef or Shafir. Rambam calls for dismantling of the tent camps, halting the demonstrations, and prepare an action plan. Shafir told "Globes" that she was not a part of this action, while, in a press conference, Leef said, "The tents are still here. There is no mass folding of tents."
Leef added, "The social budget is not a question of ability, but of will and decision." Prof. Avia Spivak backed up, saying, "The budget can be breached."
Spivak and other speakers at the press conference said that the capital gains tax and the companies tax should be raised, and that tax exemptions should be abolished to ease the burden on the middle class.
Student Union chairman Itzik Shmuli will meet the Trajtenberg team at 2 pm today to learn about the team's recommendations.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on September 6, 2011
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