Protests in Tel Aviv go on for 28th week
Tens of thousands of protesters packed the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday night, marking the 28th straight week of demonstrations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to overhaul the country’s judiciary. Protest leaders promised further “days of disruption” lie ahead.
Netanyahu’s government gave initial approval to a key portion of the overhaul earlier this week, breathing new life into the grassroots movement. The bill still needs to be approved in two more votes, expected by the end of the month, before it becomes law.
Saturday night protests have become a mainstay of the grassroots movement — but this week’s was larger than usual.
In Tel Aviv, protesters unrolled a massive banner reading “SOS.” They threw paint powder into the sky, streaking it pink and orange. “Handmaids” — women dressed in red robes as characters from the dystopian novel and TV series “The Handmaid’s Tale” — once again took to the streets.
Saturday’s protest in Tel Aviv was joined by others across the country. Protesters brandished lit torches outside Netanyahu’s home in Jerusalem and demonstrated in the coastal cities of Herzliya and Netanya.