2 years ago

Israelis protest against judicial overhaul after truce with Palestine

Tens of thousands of Israelis join protests across the country, now entering their 20th week, against PM Benjamin Netanyahu's contested plans to tighten controls on the Supreme Court.

AFP

Protests seemed to have been invigorated, with Israeli media estimating some 90,000-100,000 in attendance. / Photo: AFP

Thousands of Israelis have protested against contentious plans by their hardline and far-right government to amend the judiciary, as the protest campaign show no signs of abating nearly five months on.

The main protest took place in Tel Aviv on Saturday, Israel's economic hub on the Mediterranean, with smaller other rallies across the country.

Protests garnered lower attendance last Saturday as a truce between Israel and Islamic Jihad movement in besieged Gaza officially came into effect, ending a five-day fighting which was the worst episode of cross-fence fire since a 10-day war in 2021.

Protests seemed to have been invigorated, with Hebrew media estimating some 90,000-100,000 in attendance.

The protesters want the plans proposed by the most hardline government in Israel’s history to be scrapped rather than delayed, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced in March.

Earlier this week, Israel's president hosted representatives of the government and opposition parties for talks about the legal changes as parties tried to reach a compromise.

The plans plunged Israel into one of its worst domestic crises, ripping open longstanding societal rifts and creating new ones.

AFP

Critics say the planned judicial overhaul will remove vital checks and balances underpinning a democratic state and hand unchecked power to the government.

Supporters push for overhaul

While the freeze in the legislation eased tensions somewhat, Netanyahu's allies are pushing him to move ahead on the overhaul.

Proponents of the plan, which would weaken the Supreme Court and limit judicial oversight on legislation and government decisions, say it is necessary to rein in what they say is an interventionist court and restore power to elected lawmakers.

The government accuses activist judges of increasingly usurping the role of parliament and says the overhaul is needed to restore the balance between the judiciary and elected politicians.

Opponents say it would upset Israel's delicate system of checks and balances and imperil its democratic fundamentals.

Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption, faced a barrage of criticism over the legal plan from a broad swath of Israeli society, including business leaders, the booming tech sector and military reservists, who threatened not to show up for duty if the plan was approved.