MK Dan Illouz (Likud) has turned to Interior Committee head MK Yakov Asher (United Torah Judaism), demanding an urgent meeting on the impact of the regular protests in central Jerusalem on residents' lives. In his letter, Illouz stressed that the current situation is untenable, and that the noisy and uncontrolled protests severely harm the quality of life in Jerusalem. He noted that "the systematic disruption of the routines of thousands of residents" occurs every day due to the protests "near homes, on a daily basis." Illouz, who formerly served as a member of Jerusalem's City Council and currently serves as the head of the Lobby for Jerusalem in the Knesset, added that he feels a deep obligation to act for the benefit of the city's residents. "Residents are being forced to pay a heavy price - unending noise, blocked roads, harm to their access to schools and medical centers, and in general, severe harm to the most basic rights of law-abiding citizens," he wrote. Illouz also pointed out a new civil initiative, entitled, "Jerusalemites Against Protests," which has gained thousands of members within just a few days. He noted that these members hail from all areas of Jerusalem, and demand "order, quiet, and basic community security." Illouz is also demanding that representatives of the group be called to the Committee meeting, so that they can make their voices heard. At the same time, Illouz emphasized that he does not want to harm the right to protest, but there must be differentiation between legitimate protests and "systematic disruptions of order which turn the lives of thousands of residents into something untenable." "The central goal of this discussion is to find a solution which will balance freedom of expression with the right to quiet, security, and normal life," he explained, adding that steps to deal with the issues of noise and transportation, which stem from these protests, must be examined immediately, alongside the possibility of regulating the protests so that they do not directly harm homes. Related articles: Demonstrator commits indecent act on female officer 'Enough interference in government decisions' MK Almog Cohen violently attacked at entrance to Knesset IDF dismisses anti-government activist from reserve duty Illouz also asked that the Committee meet as soon as possible, and said that representatives from the Jerusalem municipality, Israel Police, Interior Ministry, Environmental Protection Ministry, and "Jerusalemites Against Protests" must all be invited to attend. Another new group, "Jerusalemites Against Anarchy," operates on WhatsApp and has already grown to 1,500 Jerusalem residents. The residents of the city of Jerusalem understood that the city is suffering from anarchy, since "our city is under attack by protesters who are supported by the Supreme Court, and the city does not take care of us. The Petah Tikva municipality took care of its residents during the period when there were protests against [former Attorney General Avichai] Mandelblit, and in Ra'anana the municipality was with the residents in the protests against [former Prime Minister Naftali] Bennett. The city of Jerusalem works with the protesters against its own residents, instead of taking care of them, and we are sick of it." Jerusalem's residents plan to work against the protests outside the mayor's home, the protets against the protesters, to advance a municipal bylaw regarding where protests may be held, to file again with the Supreme Court, employ pressure on the police to enforce the law which was supposed to protect the residents' ;lives in Rehaviya and Jerusalem."
