Tens of thousands back on the streets in Israel: Judicial reform protests continue

As eyes in the country turn to the steps the Supreme Court will take against the Netanyahu government's judicial overhaul, Israelis who hold mass demonstrations every Saturday evening against the controversial regulation were back in the squares.

In the 36th week of the protests, tens of thousands of Israelis participated in demonstrations at dozens of different locations across the country, primarily in cities such as Tel Aviv, West Jerusalem, Haifa, and Herzliya.

Protesters carrying Israeli flags chanted "democracy" slogans while keeping rhythm with drums, whistles, and air horns.

Demonstrators, who unfurl a giant banner featuring a main slogan every week on Kaplan Street in Tel Aviv, carried a banner this week reading "The Court is supreme," emphasizing the supremacy of the judiciary.

The protesters sent a message to the Supreme Court, which is set to convene on September 12 to address the critical bill passed by the Parliament on July 24 as part of the judicial overhaul.

Meanwhile, thousands of protesters held a demonstration in front of the home of Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, who has recently made headlines with his statements against the Supreme Court.

Israeli police intervened in the crowd with mounted units to disperse the protest in front of Ohana's home.

A group of protesters also demonstrated in front of the Tel Aviv home of Yitzhak Wasserlauf, the Minister for the Development of the Negev and Galilee from the far-right Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party.

Former Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon also participated in the protest in the city of Beersheba in the south of the country.

NETANYAHU REACTS TO "NAZI" COMPARISON

On the other hand, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he "strongly condemns" the comments made by Shikma Bressler, one of the leaders of the protest movement, who compared supporters of the judicial overhaul and government ministers to Nazis.

The Israeli Prime Minister made a statement on the social media platform X regarding Bressler's remarks on negotiations with the government over the judicial overhaul, where she said, "It is forbidden to talk to Nazis, whether they are Jewish or not."

Netanyahu stated, "This scandalous statement is both an insult to the Holocaust and a brutal incitement to the murder of ministers and elected officials. The right to protest is not the right to incite."

EYES ON THE SUPREME COURT REGARDING THE GOVERNMENT'S JUDICIAL OVERHAUL

The Israeli Supreme Court will hear the "Reasonableness Standard Law," part of the government's judicial overhaul approved by the Parliament on July 24, on September 12.

The law strips the Supreme Court of its authority to overturn government decisions on the grounds that they do not "serve the public interest, are not reasonable, or create a conflict of interest."

Israel does not yet have a constitution. The country's 13 "Basic Laws" are considered drafts for a future constitution. The Supreme Court can annul laws passed by the Parliament on the grounds that they are contrary to the Basic Laws.

The government states that the laws it approved as part of the judicial overhaul are amendments to the Basic Laws.

Pointing out that the Supreme Court has not interfered with amendments made to the Basic Laws to date, the government argues that the Supreme Court cannot annul the Basic Law amendments approved in the judicial overhaul package.

Opponents of the judicial overhaul, however, argue that these laws "constitute a systemic change and therefore cannot be exempted from judicial review by being passed with a simple majority in the Parliament."

KNESSET SPEAKER'S HARSH OUTBURST AGAINST THE SUPREME COURT

Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, in preparation to discuss the law approved by the Parliament regarding the judicial overhaul

News Source: 12punto