In Israel, tens of thousands demonstrated once more once morest the government’s postponed judicial reform. According to media reports, around 115,000 people attended the main rally in Tel Aviv, which took place there for the 15th Saturday in a row. Tens of thousands also took to the streets in around 150 other places in the country, including Haifa and Jerusalem.
Demonstrators waved Israeli flags and posted signs criticizing the National Guard, which was set up under the leadership of far-right Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and is said to work alongside the police and military. Critics warn that Ben-Gvir might use the troops specifically once morest anti-government demonstrators. According to the police minister, he wanted to take part in a counter-protest on Saturday.
After protests and a general strike, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu postponed the highly controversial judicial reform for a few weeks at the end of March in order to “make room for dialogue”. However, the opposition is skeptical that the government wants to reach a compromise.
With the judicial reform, Netanyahu’s coalition wants to curtail the influence of the Supreme Court and expand the government’s position of power. She accuses the court of excessive interference in political decisions. In the future, Parliament should be able to overrule decisions of the Supreme Court with a simple majority. Critics see the separation of powers in danger and warn of a state crisis if the reform is implemented in this way.
