Tens of thousands of Israelis protest legal system changes

Tens of thousands of Israelis — hoisting flags, blowing on horns and chanting “democracy” and “no to dictatorship”— protested outside the parliament building Monday as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government launched a plan to overhaul the country’s legal system.

It was the largest protest outside the Knesset in years and reflected the deep divisions over the plan. The proposed changes have triggered weeks of mass demonstrations, drawn cries of protests from influential business leaders and former military men and even prompted a statement of concern from U.S. President Joe Biden.

Despite a plea from Israel’s figurehead president to put the legislation on hold, Netanyahu’s allies approved a series of legislative changes during a stormy committee meeting Monday. The vote now sends the legislation to the full parliament for a series of votes — an opening salvo in a battle expected to stretch on for weeks.

“They hear our cry. They hear the strong voice of truth,” opposition leader Yair Lapid said from a stage set up outside parliament. “They hear it and they’re afraid.”

Netanyahu and his supporters say the changes are needed to rein in a judiciary that wields too much power.

But his critics say the judicial overhaul is tantamount to a coup and will destroy Israeli democracy. They also say that Netanyahu, who is on trial for a series of corruption charges, has a conflict of interest.

The protesters came from across the country. Organizers claimed that upwards of 100,000 people were in attendance, with Arab, women and LGBTQ activists, as well as leaders of the opposition parties, addressing the crowd.

Thousands of people arrived in Jerusalem on packed trains, streaming up escalators in the city’s main train station, chanting “democracy,” cheering and whistling, and waving the national flag.

In parliament, opposition lawmakers vocally protested the proposed reform to judge appointments ahead of a committee vote that would send the bill to the full parliament for a vote.

During an unruly session, members of the opposition stood on the conference table, pounded the desks and shouted “shame!” as a key Netanyahu ally tried to hold the vote. Simha Rotman, a Religious Zionist lawmaker who chairs the committee, ejected several opposition politicians.

OHAD ZWIGENBERG /ASSOCIATED PRESS Israelis wave national flags and banners Monday outside Israel’s parliament in Jerusalem during a protest against plans by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s new government to overhaul the judicial system and gut the power of judges.