Israelis protest judicial reforms as President Herzog to visit US

Israelis continue to march on highways and block army headquarters in Tel Aviv in the run-up to a parliament vote on the government's judicial reform agenda, as President Herzog is headed to the US to meet with President Joe Biden.

Biden on Tuesday is hosting Israel's figurehead president Isaac Herzog at the White House, as they seek to sustain ties despite US concerns over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's judicial overhaul agenda and the ongoing settlement construction in the occupied West Bank.

Herzog's visit comes a day after Biden spoke with Netanyahu by phone and invited him to meet in the US this fall, although the president expressed reservations about several of the Netanyahu hard-right coalition's policies.

Biden even stated in a CNN interview that that the current Israeli cabinet was "one of the most extremist" he had seen.

Indeed, Netanyahu's far-right government is pushing forward with judicial changes and he has authorized the construction of thousands of new housing units in the occupied West Bank.

Propsals trigger protests

The proposals have divided the nation and triggered one of the biggest protest movements in Israel's history since being unveiled in January by the hard-right government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Weekly rallies have drawn tens of thousands of protesters aiming to prevent what they believe could open the way to more authoritarian government.

Crowds gathered early on Tuesday in the coastal city of Tel Aviv, Israel's commercial hub, after organisers had called for a "national day of resistance" ahead of a planned vote by lawmakers on a key clause later this month.

Organisers urged supporters to rally at train stations, city squares, highways and roundabouts across Israel.

Thousands of demonstrators holding Israeli flags marched on highways and bridges, and blocked several roads as well as an entrance to the military's headquarters in Tel Aviv, news agencies reported.

Some chanted slogans on loudspeakers and beat drums.

Opponents of the government's reforms also entered the stock exchange building in the city and staged a rally there.

Protester Inbal Oraz said the timing of the protest was "critical" before parliament breaks for summer recess on July 30.

"This month is critical and this week is critical, because in less than a week we will know if this first law of this package is going to pass," the tech consultant said.

"We are doing our best to fight and stop it."

'Unlimited power'

Protester Ron Sherf, 51, vowed to continue challenging the government.

"The government wants unlimited power to implement a policy that is not liberal, a policy of Jewish supremacy and a religious state," he said.

Police said they had arrested at least 19 protesters for violating public order.

Rallies were also held in Jerusalem, Haifa, Rehovot and other cities.

The government temporarily paused the divisive legal overhaul in March in the wake of a general strike.

But in recent weeks it launched a new political offensive to pass the package in parliament.

Parliament is due to vote on a measure to limit the "reasonability" clause, through which the judiciary can strike down government decisions.

Ahead of Tuesday's protests, organisers said in a statement it was the "citizens who can stop the train of dictatorship".

Josh Drill, a spokesman for the protest movement, said pressure on the government would continue through "non-violent acts of civil disobedience".

"We will continue to protest in the streets until the complete cancellation of the judicial overhaul," he told AFP.

Lawmakers adopt ed the "reasonability" bill in a first reading last week.

If approved in second and third readings, it will become the first major component of the reform package to become law.

Other proposed measures include giving politicians a greater say in the appointment of judges.

'Always' a democracy

The government, which includes Netanyahu's ultra-Orthodox Jewish and extreme-right allies, says the changes are necessary to rebalance powers between elected officials and the judiciary.

"The State of Israel is, and will always be, a democratic state," Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting on Monday.

Israeli President Issac Herzog, before departing to the United States on an official visit, urged lawmakers to "arrive at reasonable formulas, both on the subject of the reasonability clause, and on other matters".

Most recently, "reasonability" was cited by Israel's top court to force Netanyahu to remove a cabinet member over a previous tax evasion conviction.

Critics accuse Netanyahu, who is on trial on corruption charge he denies, of trying to use the reforms to quash possible judgements against him.

He rejects the accusation.

The proposed reforms have also drawn international criticism, including from key ally Washington.