Tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrated on Saturday (February 11th) in Tel Aviv and other cities across the country, for the sixth consecutive week, against the judicial reform led by the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The compact crowd waved a tide of blue and white Israeli flags, dotted with rainbow flags of the LGBT+ community and Palestinians. A first reading of some of the controversial provisions of the reform, aimed at increasing the power of elected officials over that of magistrates, is scheduled for Monday in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. The leaders of the movement called for a strike the same day.
Thwarting the forecasts according to which the announcement of this strike would divert part of the demonstrators from the gatherings that have become customary on Saturday evening, the Israelis demonstrated in greater numbers than in previous weeks, noted a journalist from Agence France-presse. For the first time since the movement began in January, several dozen protesters gathered in Efrat, an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank.
Corruption trial
Israeli media reported around 50,000 protesters in Tel Aviv, up to 75,000 according to the daily Ha’aretz (left), about 10,000 in Haifa and 4,000 in Jerusalem, in front of Mr. Netanyahu’s residence. In Tel Aviv, a minute’s silence was observed in memory of the victims of Friday’s bombing in East Jerusalem, in which three Israelis, including two children, were killed.
“The Netanyahu trial is the reason for everything. He tries by all means to weaken the judiciary to escape his trial.estimated Neta Keren-Tal, a mother working in the medical field, referring to the ongoing trial of the Prime Minister for corruption in several cases.
The government set up at the end of December 2022 by Mr. Netanyahu, which backed the Likud (right) with religious and far-right allies, is considered one of the most right-wing in the history of Israel. The coalition’s proposals would significantly limit the Supreme Court’s ability to strike down laws and government decisions. A clause would allow the Knesset to re-enact invalidated laws with a simple majority of 61 votes. The reform also plans to change the system for appointing judges by giving more weight to political power.