State: Mass protest ban justified
Peretz says protests restrictions to be lifted next week
The state told the High Court of Justice late Wednesday night that the Knesset law banning mass protests for a period of weeks during the current novel coronavirus national lockdown is justified.
The Movement for the Quality of Government – one of the petitioners hoping to convince the High Court to end the mass protest ban – rejected the state’s position when it responded in the middle of the night between Wednesday and Thursday.
On Thursday, a court spokeswoman stated that the court would hear the case on Tuesday. The hearing would be days after Sukkot and close to when the ban may be removed, perhaps rendering the petition of little use.
By slow- walking their petition to strike down new coronavirus limits on demonstrations, the High Court had made it clear that it would not rush in to help the protest movement against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, already on September 30.
The Court will have put zero pressure on the government during a full two weeks when mass protests were banned, by dragging out the petition from September 30 until at least October 13 and possibly longer until a decision is made.
Economy Minister Amir Peretz said he believes the restrictions will be lifted next week.
“We will cancel the restrictions on holding protests very soon,” Peretz told Army Radio on Thursday. “I believe that starting next Tuesday or Wednesday, all protest restrictions will be lifted and the economy will start reopening. There shouldn’t be a connection between opening up the economy and protests restrictions, but a connection has already been made.”
Mass protests near the Prime Minister’s Residence – as had occurred every weekend in recent months – were prevented by the amendment. Protests are still allowed for up to 20 people within 1 km. of a person’s residence.
The state said that since all areas of life are severely limited during the current lockdown, the protesters are being treated worse than anyone else.
A cabinet vote is required to renew the limitations every week. A source in Blue and White said that if the coronavirus numbers go down in the upcoming week, the party’s ministers may oppose renewing the limitations next week.