protests continue
Israel’s Prime Minister defends controversial judicial reform – and drives thousands back onto the streets
Watch the video: Police in Israel use water cannons against demonstrators.
STORY: Demonstrators in Tel Aviv lit fires on Friday night and blocked important roads and highways. The police responded with water cannons and used mounted special forces to disperse the crowd. The background is the ongoing protests against the controversial judicial reform. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu again defended his government’s plan to restructure the judiciary. In a speech, he said the reform would strengthen democracy. On the other hand, he described the plans of reservists to refuse service in protest as an attack on democracy. Part of the judicial reform is to be decided in the Knesset as early as Monday. The project of the partly right-wing extremist government aims to limit the powers of the judiciary and the Supreme Court. Critics see the separation of powers and thus democracy in danger. Tens of thousands of people have been taking to the streets against the planned judicial reform for months.
Israel’s governing coalition wants to weaken the judiciary. From the point of view of Prime Minister Netanyahu, however, the planned restructuring strengthens democracy. A speech again brings thousands of opponents onto the streets.
In Israel there have been new protests against the restructuring of the judiciary by the right-wing religious government. After a speech by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, thousands took to the streets in several cities on Friday night. According to media reports, there were also clashes with the police. According to the Haaretz newspaper, there were about two dozen arrests. Netanyahu had previously defended the project, which was also internationally controversial, and thus fueled the protests again. A key part of the project may be approved as early as next week.
In the metropolis of Tel Aviv on the Mediterranean Sea, demonstrators temporarily blocked a central highway. Pictures showed objects being burned on the road. Angry demonstrators also disrupted traffic in other cities. Police used water cannon and officers on horseback to disperse the crowd. According to media reports, around 10,000 people continued a protest march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in the early morning.
Judicial reform could be passed in a few days
In his speech, Netanyahu announced that a law that would “strengthen democracy” should be passed in the coming days. On the other hand, critics see democracy in danger because of the planned weakening of the judiciary. “All these statements about the destruction of democracy are simply absurd,” said the conservative head of government. According to Netanyahu, further efforts should be made to find a compromise. He left it open what these efforts would look like.
The law could be passed in Parliament as early as next week. The government has called a special session of the Knesset for Sunday. However, the vote is not expected until Monday at the earliest. It is still unclear when it could come into force. With the law, it would no longer be possible for the highest court to assess decisions by the government or individual ministers as “inappropriate”.
At the beginning of the year, Netanyahu had to dismiss his interior minister because the judges had classified his appointment as “inappropriate” due to a criminal past. Observers expect that the coalition wants to reverse this with the new law. Critics also fear that opponents of government policy in key positions could be arbitrarily dismissed.
Nationwide protests
Israelis take to the barricades on “Day of Resistance” against controversial judicial reform
Tensions between Israel and USA
Tens of thousands of people have been taking to the streets against the reform for more than six months. Pressure on Netanyahu also comes from the military. According to media reports, thousands of reservists have announced that they will no longer appear on duty in protest against the plans. Netanyahu therefore warned: “In a democracy, the military is subordinate to the government and does not exert any pressure on the government.” Refusal to do military service endangers democracy.
The head of government also assured: “Israel will continue to be liberal and democratic, it will not become a state of religious law, and it will protect the rights of all.” Many Israelis fear the growing influence of religious hardliners in their country. The government’s course is also straining Israel’s relations with its closest ally, the United States. US President Joe Biden has not received Netanyahu since his return to office late last year.
In his speech, the Prime Minister accused the opposition of being responsible for the failure to find a consensus. The talks between the government and the opposition mediated by Head of State Izchak Herzog failed to reach an agreement after months of wrangling. Several opposition politicians and the organizers of the protests accused the head of government of having spread lies in his speech.