Status: 02/26/2023 04:52 AM
Tens of thousands of Israelis have been demonstrating every weekend for nearly two months against the right-wing religious government’s judicial reforms. It wants to weaken the Supreme Court – critics fear the end of Israeli democracy.
Tens of thousands of people have again taken to the streets in Israel to protest government plans to weaken the judiciary. In a speech in Tel Aviv, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak warned of an imminent coup. He demanded at the rally, which took place for the eighth consecutive time, that in the event of controversial reform progressing, one should turn to nonviolent resistance. People also demonstrated in other cities such as Jerusalem and Haifa.
Tens of thousands of people are demonstrating again in Israel against the planned judicial reforms
Daily Topics 11:13 PM, 25.2.2023
The right-wing religious government headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to reduce the power of the Supreme Court, which it accuses of political influence. In the future, parliament should be able to overturn decisions of senior judges by a simple majority and MPs should have more influence over the appointment of judges. Parliament has already approved both bills with a government majority on first reading. Other planned changes could benefit Prime Minister Netanyahu in a corruption trial against him.
The Supreme Court is of particular interest
Therefore, the demonstrators see that the separation of powers in Israel and democracy is in danger. The Supreme Court is particularly important in the Israeli political system because the country does not have a written constitution. Instead, there is a set of basic laws that the court monitors compliance with.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu dismissed media reports that he was said to have called for “fist-fist” measures against the protesters. Instead, he meant that false arguments should be discarded, he wrote on Twitter.
