DThree days before the start of a crucial court hearing, more than a hundred thousand Israelis demonstrated against the controversial restructuring of the judiciary. According to media reports, more than 118,000 people took part in the central rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening. The organizers put the number at 140,000. Posters read, for example: “The court is in charge” or “Without the Supreme Court there is no democracy”. According to the organizers, there were also demonstrations in Jerusalem, Haifa, Beersheba and several other cities.
Car drives into group of people
During a demonstration in Tel Aviv late in the evening, a man drove his car into a group that was blocking the road. According to the police, five people were slightly injured. The driver was therefore arrested. Similar incidents have occurred in the past during demonstrations against government policies.
At the end of July, as part of a highly controversial restructuring of the judiciary, the coalition passed a law that restricts the Supreme Court’s options for action. Critics classify the approach as a threat to Israel’s democracy. The government, however, argues that the Supreme Court is too powerful and interferes too much in political issues.
Decisive court case
Next Tuesday, all 15 judges of the Supreme Court want to meet for the first time to deal with petitions against the new law. However, it was unclear when a decision could be expected. It is expected that the discussions could last several weeks.
In Israel’s history, a comparable law has never been struck down by the Supreme Court. If this happens now and the government does not accept the decision, the country will face a national crisis.
Netanyahu has not yet publicly stated whether he will abide by the court’s decision. On Wednesday, he shared a post by Parliament Speaker Amir Ohana on X, formerly Twitter, in which Ohana suggested that the government would not accept a repeal. The Knesset, the parliament, “will not tolerate being trampled on,” wrote Ohana. The court must recognize its “limits to power”.
Since January, tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets every week against the judicial reform. This has become the largest protest movement in Israeli history. There are demonstrations in numerous cities, including Jerusalem. Tel Aviv is the main location of the protests. People demonstrate there against Netanyahu’s government every Saturday.
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