Israel: Weekly Saturday protests continue in Ashdod February 10

Event

Thousands of people took to the street in Ashdod on Saturday, February 10, in what has become a weekly protest against the city council’s decision to fine businesses operating on Shabbat in early January 2018. Protesters have denounced what they view as religious coercion and have urged the city council to abandon the measure.

The protests are expected to continue on Saturday, February 17.

Context

The city council is believed to have acted under the pressure of ultra-Orthodox community members, which represent one-quarter of the population.

Advice

Individuals in Ashdod are advised to monitor developments to the situation, avoid all protests and demonstrations due to potential violence, and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities.

In general, due to the underlying terrorist threat, travelers in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip are advised to report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities and to remain vigilant when visiting sites deemed particularly likely to be targeted in an attack (public transportation, train stations, ports, airports, public or government buildings, embassies or consulates, international organizations, schools and universities, religious sites, markets, hotels and restaurants frequented by foreigners/Westerners, etc.). As a reminder, some Western governments advise their citizens against travel to the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and areas near the Israeli-Lebanese, Israeli-Syrian, and Israeli-Egyptian borders.