Israelis flood cities in a wave of protests

JERUSALEM — More than a quarter of a million Israelis poured into the streets of cities across Israel on Saturday to protest rising living costs and social inequalities in a snowballing movement that has posed a serious challenge to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The demonstration was one of the largest in Israel's history and its biggest ever on social and economic issues. What began three weeks ago as a tent encampment in Tel Aviv to protest rising housing prices has mushroomed into a broader social protest wave demanding redistribution of the country's resources.

Police said more than 200,000 people gathered in Tel Aviv and an additional 30,000 in Jerusalem, with several thousands more in 20 other cities and towns. The numbers, which organizers put at more than 300,000 across the country, were significantly higher than nationwide demonstrations last week and showed a gain in momentum.

Throngs marched through the streets chanting "The people demand social justice!" Demonstrators held up signs that said, "People before profits," and "Return the state to the people."