Watch the video: tens of thousands of Israelis protest again against planned judicial reforms
In Israel, tens of thousands of people demonstrated again on Saturday against the government’s planned judicial reform. The biggest rally took place here in Tel Aviv. The two main TV stations reported that the crowds were significantly larger than in previous weeks. Some people were moving toward Tel Aviv’s main thoroughfare. The Israeli police stopped them and used water cannons.
Osnat Michaeli, protester: “We have come to protest, as we have for the last twenty-seven weeks. We are here every week, in the same place, and we have come to protest against the government’s intention, the rule of reason and actually bring us to non-democracy in Israel.”
The protests are directed against the first of three votes expected in Parliament next week on a bill that would limit the powers of the Supreme Court. He should then no longer be able to reject decisions by the government or ministers. According to the opposition, this is a dangerous move to limit the independence of the judiciary. This opens the door to corruption.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made concessions to opponents of the reform at the end of last month and announced that he would drop the most controversial part. This would have allowed Parliament to overturn Supreme Court rulings. However, Netanyahu insisted that what he saw as a left-leaning and elitist Supreme Court needed to be reined in. At first he put his plans on hold. The organizers of the protests want to expand the demonstrations in the next week.