This Saturday marked the 21st week of mass protests in Israel against reforms to the judicial system. “If Israel gets too much power, it will become Poland or Hungary,” said one protester.
Tens of thousands of Israelis have demonstrated again against the government’s proposal to reform the judicial system, entering a 21st week of mass protests.
The protests on Saturday come days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition of ultra-Orthodox and ultra-nationalist parties approved a new two-year budget. The main protest took place in Tel Aviv, where thousands of demonstrators participated.
The approval of the new budget could guarantee some stability to the Israeli government. However, it also seems to fuel the protesters’ view that Netanyahu is appealing to his religious allies rather than tackling broader economic problems in society at large.
Israelis block roads in protest against Netanyahu’s legal plan
“If Israel gets too much power for itself, basically it will be like Poland or Hungary, and we don’t want thatsaid Aylon Argaman, a protester, quoted by the AP.
Protest organizers describe the demonstrations as a movement to save democracy and argue that government plans to weaken the Supreme Court would destroy the country’s judicial system.
Advocates of judicial reform say an overzealous Supreme Court needs to be reined in. The controversial judicial reform was frozen in March by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.following protests that began in January 2023. On May 16, Israel’s President Isaac Herzog urged the government and the opposition to reach an agreement on judicial reform.
Israelis return to the streets to challenge judicial reform
Source: Observadora
