Demonstrators protest in Tel Avivi against the planned judicial reform
Source: REUTERS
Rand 150,000 people in Tel Aviv alone and many thousands in Jerusalem and other cities demonstrated on Saturday against the Israeli government’s controversial judicial reform. Before a vote in the Knesset on the project in the coming week, the protest movement gained significantly more support. In recent weeks, the number of participants in the Saturday protests, which have been going on for six months, has steadily decreased.
Several dozen protesters attempted to block a highway in Tel Aviv late Saturday night but were driven off by police. There were scuffles, the police also used a water cannon.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu put plans to restructure the judiciary, which would weaken the Supreme Court, among other things, on hold in view of the protests in March, but now wants to push them ahead again. As early as Monday, the Knesset is to hold an initial vote on an aspect of the reform that would mean that courts can no longer review political decisions to determine whether they are appropriate or not.
For example, the Supreme Court had declared the appointment of the leader of the Shas party, Arie Deri, as interior minister inappropriate because he had been convicted of bribery, among other things. In addition to judicial reform, the protests on Saturday were also directed against the forced resignation of Tel Aviv police chief Ami Eshed. He said he had to give up his post because he didn’t want to use a heavy hand against demonstrating opponents of the government.
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