Tel AvIv: Israelis protested Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new government's plans to overhaul the legal system and weaken the Supreme Court on Saturday night in central Tel Aviv. Critics claim that this move will destroy the country's democratic system of checks and balances.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, Netanyahu's ultranationalist national security minister, who has instructed police to repress demonstrators who block streets or fly Palestinian flags, saw the protest as an early test.
Despite the cool, rainy weather, the crowd at Tel Aviv's Habima Square grew to at least 80,000 people, according to Israeli media citing police. Israeli flags and signs reading "Criminal Government," "The End of Democracy," and other slogans were carried by protesters, many of whom were sheltered by umbrellas.
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They are attempting to undermine Israel's democratic checks and balances. Asaf Steinberg, a protester from the Herzliya suburb of Tel Aviv, declared that this would not succeed. And we'll fight to the bitter end to preserve Israeli democracy.
Although Israeli media reported that small crowds tussled with police as they attempted to block a Tel Aviv highway, no significant unrest was reported.
Reforming the legal system of the nation has been a top priority for Netanyahu, who is facing corruption charges.
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His government, which is made up of ultra-Orthodox and far-right nationalist parties and has been in power for less than two weeks, has introduced proposals to undermine the Supreme Court by granting parliament the authority to overturn court rulings with a simple majority vote. It also wants to lessen the independence of legal advisors and give parliament control over judge selection.
Justice Minister Netanyahu claims that judges who are not elected have excessive power. However, those opposed to the plans claim that if they go through as is, Israel's democracy will suffer and the judiciary's independence will be taken away. Former attorney generals, Supreme Court presidents, and members of Israel's opposition have all spoken out against the proposal.
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The legal modifications may enable Netanyahu, who is facing a corruption trial, to avoid conviction or even have his case dismissed entirely. Netanyahu has claimed that the legal system is biassed against him ever since he was charged in 2019. Jerusalem and Haifa both witnessed smaller demonstrations.