Israelis poured into streets across the Jewish state in unprecedented numbers, with police counting over a quarter of a million people joining protests calling for sweeping economic reforms.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said at least 200,000 people joined demonstrations in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv alone, with another 30,000 demonstrating in Jerusalem and over 20,000 taking part in protests elsewhere.

"Our numbers are more than 250,000 people across the country," he told AFP around midnight local time.