| Daphni Leef דפני ליף |
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|---|---|
Daphni Leef speaking at a protest rally in Tel Aviv, 23 July 2011 |
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| Born | January 7, 1986 Jerusalem, Israel |
| Residence | Tel Aviv, Israel |
| Nationality | Israeli |
| Ethnicity | Jewish |
| Alma mater | Tel Aviv University |
| Occupation | Video editor |
| Known for | Her involvement in initiating and in the leadership of the 2011 housing protests in Israel |
Daphni Leef (Hebrew: דפני ליף; born January 7, 1986) is an Israeli activist who on July 14, 2011, established an encampment in central Tel Aviv in the Rothschild Boulevard to protest the high cost of housing in Israel.[1] Her act sparked off one of the largest waves of mass protest in Israel's history, inspiring demonstrations throughout the country with the demand to return to the welfare-state model.
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Leef is the daughter of the Israeli composer Inam Leef (ינעם ליף), and the great-granddaughter of the notable Israeli engineer Zalman Leef. Leef was born in Jerusalem and raised in the Rehavia neighborhood of the city. She attended the Gymnasia Rehavia junior high. In 2002, at age 16, she moved with her family to Kfar Shmaryahu, a local council within the Tel Aviv District ranked very highly on the Israeli socio-economic scale.[2] During her high school period Leef majored in Film Studies at a high school in Ramat Hasharon.
In September 2002 Leef signed a public letter along with dozens of other pre-army-aged youths which declared their refusal to serve in the "army of occupation".[3] Leef did not serve in the IDF, but claimed in an August 2011 interview that she did not serve in the military due to medical reasons.[4][5]
In 2005, after she finished high school, Leef moved to Tel Aviv and began studying in the film department of Tel Aviv University. Leef graduated from the university in 2008. She became a professional video editor and has created many short films[6], music videos for Israeli singers (such as Eran Tzur, Michal Amdursky and Noam Nevo) and films for various political NGOs, including a short work for the "Free Israel" association ("ישראל חופשית"), which promotes civil marriage in Israel.[7]
During June 2011 Leef received a notice to vacate the apartment that she had rented in Tel Aviv for the previous three years.[8] After several weeks of searching to no avail for a new apartment within reach of her film-editing job, Leef discovered that the rental prices in the entire Tel Aviv metropolitan area had doubled in the previous five years.[9]
As an act of protest Leef decided to pitch a tent at Habima Square in Tel Aviv. Leef also opened a Facebook protest page and began inviting people to join the protest in the streets. Soon afterward the protests gained momentum[10] as thousands joined the protests, pitching tents in the central streets of cities across Israel.[11][12] sparking off the 2011 Israel housing protests[13]. On 29 August 2011, in the context of allegations of Leef's background and intentions, Leef abruptly ended an interview when asked about not doing mandatory military service or Sherut Leumi, her affluent upbringing, what the Trajtenberg Committee was dealing with, and a question about her lack of presence or if she has even slept in the Tel Aviv tent area. She revealed that she received an exemption from the army for having epilepsy but had volunteered in a children's shelter, and that she had not slept in the Rothschild Boulevard tents the preceding week.[14]
As the housing protests continued and expanded, various public figures and organizations, mostly affiliated with the political right in Israel, began to escalate their personal criticism of Leef, her character and her political positions. From their point of view, various Israeli left-wing media and political organizations have exploited the demonstrations, as well as the economic distress affecting large sections of the Israeli public, for political purposes, with the intention of overthrowing the current right-wing Netanyahu government. According to this version, finding solutions to the housing crises in Israel is only secondary in this struggle. [15][16]
On July 15, 2011, demonstrators drove out the Knesset member Miri Regev (member of the ruling right-wing Likud party) from the tent encampment in Tel Aviv. Several protesters had booed Regev, one threw a glass of water at her and she had a verbal confrontation with Daphni Leef. Regev, quite upset by the encounter, claimed the activists in the encampment had attacked her, a member of Israel's ruling coalition, while members of the opposition received a warm greeting. In addition, Regev stated that Leef "represents the extreme left".[17] In response, Leef said she felt embarrassed by the violent confrontation but made it clear that, contrary to Regev's claim, it is first and foremost a social struggle and not a political struggle.[17][18]
On July 20, 2011, the Israeli right-wing extra-parliamentary group "Im Tirtzu" (אם תרצו) announced that they would no longer take part in the housing protests, claiming that the New Israel Fund and various left-wing groups are directly involved. Im Tirtzu officials said that "Daphni Leef, who is perceived in the media as the initiator of the struggle, is actually a video editor for the New Israel Fund and Shatil." [19]
Public support for the tent protests has continued to be overwhelmingly strong across the political spectrum. Various opinion polls have found 83% to over 90% supporting the protests; a Channel 10 poll specifically asking for political affiliation, found 85% support among the right-wing Likud voters.[20]
At a press conference held on July 26, 2011 Leef responded to charges made against her in the media by stating:
What hasn't been said about me in the recent days? When we came here with our tents about ten days ago, some said we are spoiled children from Tel Aviv, some said we are leftists, but after more cities from across the country and as more people from across the entire political spectrum in Israel joined the protests — all understood that we represent all the people.[21]
In an interview with the Israeli radio network Galei Tzahal on August 3, 2011, Leef referred to the "tent representation" (נציגות המאהל) group, which seeks to democratically replace the leadership of the housing protest, by stating:
It hurts me, things have been said about my character, I hope it would be resolved.[22]
On 3 November 2011, Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Leef and partner Stav Shafir decided to officially establish a fund so that they could get a salary for continuing the effort.[23]