TEL AVIV: Israeli citizens took to the streets on Thursday to demonstrate against a controversial plan by the government to overhaul the judiciary system.
The protests were held in major cities across the country, with tens of thousands of demonstrators blocking roads and intersections.
The plan, advanced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government, would weaken the Supreme Court of the country and limit judicial oversight on legislation and government decisions.
Opponents of the plan argue that it would threaten Israel’s democratic fundamentals and disrupt the country’s delicate system of checks and balances.
They fear that it would give too much power to elected lawmakers and undermine the independence of the judiciary. Protesters have been calling for the plan to be scrapped entirely.
Thursday’s protests were organized by a coalition of opposition groups and civil society organizations. Demonstrators held signs and chanted slogans calling for “equality” and denouncing the rising cost of living in Israel.
They also criticized the military draft exemptions granted to most ultra-Orthodox Jews, which they see as a form of discrimination.
The demonstrations were largely peaceful, although police said one protester was arrested for causing disturbances.
Opposition to Netanyahu’s judiciary overhaul plan
Protest demonstrations took place outside the homes of Israel’s president and the country’s National Security Minister, who has demanded that Netanyahu grant him authority over a new national guard, which critics say would amount to his own personal militia.
The protests come as parliament reconvened this week following a month-long recess. Netanyahu had paused the legal plan in March after facing intense pressure, but his allies are now pushing him to move ahead with it. The talks between the opposing sides meant to forge a path out of the crisis, have not yet produced any results.
The plan has plunged Israel into one of its worst domestic crises, creating societal rifts and exacerbating existing ones.
Business leaders, the booming tech sector, and military reservists have also criticized the plan, with the latter threatening not to show up for duty if it is approved.
The protests are a reminder to legislators of the public’s opposition to the overhaul and a warning that citizens are willing to take to the streets to defend Israel’s democratic institutions.
