Foreign countries|Demonstrations
The administration led by Prime Minister Netanyahu decided to continue the controversial reform despite the protests that lasted for about half a year.
in Israel protests broke out across the country on Tuesday. The people took to the streets a few hours after the country’s parliament had approved the prime minister in the first reading Benjamin Netanyahu the central clause of the administration’s controversial legal system reform. Two more votes are needed for the proposal to become law.
Parliament voted to remove the so-called “reasonableness clause”. The clause allows the Supreme Court to overturn the government’s decisions.
The measure was used recently when Netanyahu was forced to remove a politician convicted of tax evasion from his cabinet.
On Tuesday morning protesters blocked highways leading to Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa. Protesters also gathered at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. Tuesday had been announced in advance as the day of demonstrations. Dozens of protests are expected around the country.
“I came here today because the government is completely destroying democracy in Israel,” said a doctor who took part in protests on a highway outside Jerusalem I deny Galo.
“We will fight until the end, he continued, as nearby police used water cannons to break up the demonstration.”
On Tuesday night, protesters are scheduled to demonstrate in front of the US embassy, Israel’s most important ally. President of the United States Joe Biden said in a CNN interview broadcast Sunday that he hoped Netanyahu would “continue to move toward moderation and change in the court.”
Law reform would weaken the position of the Supreme Court as a guardian of legality and increase the government’s power over the judiciary. Opponents see the reform as a threat to Israeli democracy.
Israelis have demonstrated against the reform in large numbers throughout the spring. The reform has been considered a threat to the country’s democracy.
The law reform was put on hold at the end of March during negotiations between the government and the opposition parties. Attempts at negotiations failed, however, and the Netanyahu-led administration decided to continue with the controversial reform.
Netanyahu’s government has been described as the most right-wing in the country’s history.
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