Israel: Hundreds of thousands of people expected in the streets against the government

Demonstrations once morest the judicial reform bill once more brought together huge crowds

The mobilization once morest the Israeli government does not seem to be running out of steam. For more than three months now, demonstrators have been gathering in the hundreds of thousands every Saturday evening once morest the justice reform project led by the coalition, despite the freezing of the legislative process announced by the Prime Minister. But the bill is expected to make its way back to the Knesset starting April 30, regardless of whether ongoing negotiations are successful.

The main event of the evening is being held, as in previous weeks, on Kaplan Street in Tel Aviv, and other events are taking place in at least 150 other locations across the country. In Netanya, Itamar Ben Gvir took part in a demonstration for reform, as he has also been doing for a month.

Bethsabée Sellem/i24NEWSProtest in Habima, Tel Aviv

The government in difficulty, even on security issues

A poll, released on Friday by Israel’s Channel 12, indicates that for a large majority of Israelis, judicial reform is not an urgent issue. 74% think the government should make the economic crisis its top priority, and only 19% think judicial reform is more important. The same goes for Likud voters: 59% think the economic crisis is more urgent, compared to 35% who think judicial reform is the most pressing issue.

The Prime Minister is in free fall in the polls. Support for Likud has plummeted, with a poll showing it would lose more than a third of its seats if elections were held today. In such a case, the leader of the National Union party Benny Gantz would be largely able to form a governing coalition, a new poll by the Israeli daily reveals on Friday. Maariv. In the event of an election, a strong coalition of 69 seats made up of the National Union, Yesh Atid, Israel beitenu, Hadash-Ta’al, Ra’am, the Labor Party and Meretz might be formed.