TEL AVIV: Tens of thousands of Israeli protesters rallied in Tel Aviv and near the Jerusalem parliament on Saturday, stepping up action against a controversial judicial reform law that will face a final vote early next week.
The judicial overhaul proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hard-right government has divided the nation and sparked one of the largest protest movements in Israel’s history.
In January, the government unveiled plans to limit the Supreme Court‘s powers as part of a package of reforms that opponents see as a threat to democracy.
Lawmakers are set to take a final vote on Monday on a key “reasonableness” clause that allows judges to overturn government decisions.
Other proposed reforms include giving the government a greater say in the appointment of judges.
The protests gained support across political and social strata, including left and right, secular and religious groups, peace activists and military reservists, as well as labor and technical workers.
Demonstrations also took place in Beersheba, Herzliya and Kfar Saba on Saturday, according to footage distributed by organizers.
Tens of thousands of people chanted pro-democracy slogans and beat drums for the 29th straight weekly rally in Tel Aviv, the country’s commercial hub.
“Democracy or revolution! Respect existence or expect resistance!” chanted the protesters, many wearing shirts emblazoned with “Democracy”, an AFP correspondent said.
“The government doesn’t listen to us, that means it’s the beginning of a new era, a bad era,” protester Idit Dekel, 55, told AFP.
“To me, it’s catastrophic. It’s the beginning of something we’ve never experienced before,” added Dekel, a tech employee.
On Saturday evening, thousands of protesters also entered Jerusalem and protested near parliament, the Supreme Court and the prime minister’s residence.
They arrived in Jerusalem after a multi-day march that began in Tel Aviv earlier this week.
“This government is an extreme, religious government and we hope to take it down as quickly as possible,” said Guy Maidan, who attended the march with his family.
Carrying Israeli flags, water bottles and umbrellas against the scorching sun, the protesters marched for days, taking lunch and overnight breaks on their way to Jerusalem.
By evening, many plan to camp near the Knesset as lawmakers begin debating the reforms’ so-called “proportionality clause” on Sunday.
If approved in a final vote on Monday, it will be the first major piece of the proposed legislation to become law.
Protester Keren Morová said she is fighting for the rights of all communities.
“Women, LGBTQ, Arabs, Hasids, they all feel that their rights are being overturned by the government,” Mora told AFP as she protested in Jerusalem.
“They’re trying to overthrow all democracy, basic civil rights and human rights, and we’re here to stop it.”
By late Saturday, hundreds of protesters were setting up makeshift tents near the Knesset to spend the night there.
Netanyahu’s government, which includes far-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish allies, plans to limit the court’s powers granted under the clause, arguing that the changes are necessary to ensure a better balance of power.
Critics accuse Netanyahu, who is on trial on corruption charges he denies, of trying to use the reforms to overturn any convictions against him.
He denies the accusation.
