Thousands rally for 6th week against judicial overhaul

TEL AVIV: Tens of thousands of Israelis rallied in central Tel Aviv on Saturday for a sixth straight week against controversial legal reforms being pushed by PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government.

“Democracy!” protesters chanted to the beat of drums in the coastal city, with many in the vast crowd waving blue and white Israeli flags, and others carrying rainbow LGBTQ or Palestinian banners. “We’re not going to give up,” some shouted.

Netanyahu returned to power following elections in November, at the head of a coalition with extreme-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties.

The proposed judicial reforms would allow Israel’s parliament to overrule any Supreme Court decision with a simple majority of 61 lawmakers in the 120-seat body, as well as boost political control over the system through which judges are appointed.

A first reading of the bill is slated for Monday.

Leaders of the protest movement opposing the reforms have called for a strike on the same day. The protests have become a weekly fixture on Saturday evenings since Netanyahu’s new government took office in late December.

Defying predictions that Monday’s planned strike would result in fewer protesters taking to the streets, this week’s crowds appeared to be larger than in previous weeks.

While there were no official figures on turnout, Israeli media reported around 50,000 demonstrators, with the liberal daily Haaretz reporting up to 75,000.

Rallies were also held in other cities, including outside the PM’s residence in Jerusalem and in the northern port city of Haifa, Israeli media reported. In 2019, Netanyahu refused to step down when he became the first sitting Israeli prime minister to be indicted while in office.

Protesters called for Netanyahu, who is fighting corruption charges in court, to resign.

“Netanyahu’s trial is the reason for everything,” said medical worker Neta Keren-Tal. “He is trying in every way to weaken the judiciary to escape his trial.”