Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in several Israeli cities to protest against the controversial judicial reform. In the coastal metropolis of Tel Aviv, there was a major rally on the ninth Saturday evening, according to media reports, around 160,000 demonstrators took part. Protests also broke out in other cities such as Haifa and Netanya.
Police chief Kobi Schabtai stressed on Saturday that the main road connecting Tel Aviv to Jerusalem would not be allowed to be blocked again. On Wednesday there were clashes between demonstrators and the police during protests in Tel Aviv. Police used water cannons and stun grenades to disperse the crowd. Eleven injured demonstrators had to be treated in hospital and 39 people were arrested.
The protests, which have been going on for nine weeks, are directed against the judicial reform, but also against the government’s policies in general. Nevertheless, the reform continues to advance. According to plans by the right-wing religious government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, parliament should in future be able to overturn decisions of the Supreme Court with a simple majority. In addition, politicians should be given more influence in the appointment of judges.
The proposed law could also play into the head of government’s hands in a corruption trial that has been going on against Netanyahu for some time. Netanyahu caused outrage on Wednesday when he drew a comparison between anti-reform demonstrators and violent settlers who wreaked havoc after an attack in the Palestinian city of Howara.
Critics see the reform as a threat to the separation of powers and warn that Israel could turn into a dictatorship. The government, on the other hand, argues that the Supreme Court currently wields too much political influence.
