Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv on Saturday night to protest plans by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s new government to overhaul the judicial system, measures that opponents say imperil the country’s democratic fundamentals.
Israeli media, citing police, said some 100,000 people were out protesting.
The protest followed another demonstration last week that also drew tens of thousands in an early challenge to Netanyahu and his ultranationalist and ultra-Orthodox government — the most right-wing in Israeli history.
The government says a power imbalance has given judges and government legal advisers too much sway over lawmaking and governance. Netanyahu has pledged to press on with the changes despite the opposition.
Protesters filled central streets in the seaside metropolis, raising Israeli flags and banners that read “Our Children will not Live in a Dictatorship” and “Israel, We Have A Problem.”
“This is a protest to defend the country,” said opposition leader and former Prime Minister Yair Lapid, who joined the protest. “People came here today to protect their democracy.”
“All generations are concerned. This is not a joke,” said Lior Student, a protester. “This is a complete redefinition of democracy.”
Other protests took place in the cities of Jerusalem, Haifa and Beersheba.
In addition to the protests, pressure has built up on Netanyahu’s government after the country’s attorney general asked Netanyahu to fire Aryeh Deri following a Supreme Court ruling that disqualified him from holding a government post because of a conviction of tax offenses.
While Netanyahu was expected to heed the court ruling, it only deepened the rift in the country over the judicial system and the power of the courts.
Earlier this week, Netanyahu vowed to continue with the judicial overhaul plans despite the protests. Opponents say the changes could help Netanyahu evade conviction in his corruption trial, or make the court case disappear altogether.
On Friday, Netanyahu’s coalition was put for a new test after a disagreement between Cabinet members over the dismantling of a settlement outpost in the West Bank.
Defense Minister Yoav Galant, a member of Netanyahu’s Likud party, ordered the removal of the outpost, upsetting a pro-settlement Cabinet member who had issued a directive to postpone the eviction pending further discussions.
(AP)
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8 Responses
“This is a complete redefinition of democracy.” I agree; democracy needs to be re-defined as giving the authority to the democratically elected government and not leftist appointed judges and US tax-payers New Israel Fund organised leftl-wing protests.
Learning from the Democrats how to destroy a country
The ungratefulness Israelis show toward Netanyahu, who took Israel from being a semi-socialist country in the 80s, to becoming one the most economically powerful countries in the world, is amazing. Netanyahu is the one who capitalized the Israeli market, revolutionizing the private sector into what it is today – the 28th richest country in the world.
They are welcomed to NY to work with JStreet.
I hope the demonstrators weren’t blocking any streets and roads, causing people to miss their flights, miss taking their life saving medications, or not being able to tell their child goodnight. That would be a terrible chilul Hashem and the cause of aiva.
Leftist Israelis are just plain stupid.
AS Israel becomes a Jewish state, so the seculars are fearful that we religious people will do to them as they tried to do to us.
100,000 unnecessary fools…..some being paid by Soros or anything unthinking tank of America….who knows…..Bibi is the most amazing PM ever and thankfully we have him back as for the 100,000 they can take a dip and find another home…..not one penny from my pocket will feed anyone of them…..animals