"We have failed in whatever concerns housing prices and cost of living, and we, the government, must deal with that." Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon made this ostensibly social and heartfelt confession on Oct. 15, in a series of interviews he gave for the Sukkot holiday, responding to the so-called “Milky” (chocolate pudding snack) protest. The confession was drowned out by the melee of headlines he made regarding the defense threats facing Israel.
But it is actually this statement, not backed up by any action, that reflects the disconnect between the government and the changes that Israeli society has undergone since social protests broke out in the summer of 2011. Like the prime minister and other Cabinet members, Ya’alon may believe that caring words will appease the public, but the fuels of the protest are constantly simmering below the surface.