Tens of thousands of Israelis are demonstrating against the Netanyahu government because of the weakening of the judiciary
Tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrated, on Tuesday evening, in the center of "Tel Aviv", against the government of Benjamin Netanyahu, and its plan to weaken the judiciary and undermine the "Supreme Court".
The Israeli police closed several streets and crossroads in the vicinity of the demonstration, which was organized in "Kaplan" Street. The demonstrators carried flares and banners calling for "Saving Democracy".
Similar demonstrations took place in several cities and towns, in conjunction with the celebrations of the so-called "Independence Day", while the organizers of the protests called for other demonstrations and events today, Wednesday.
The Netanyahu government seeks to make radical amendments to the legal and judicial systems, to almost completely eliminate the Supreme Court's authority for judicial review, and to give the government an automatic majority in the judges' selection committee, which a wide segment of Israelis sees as "targeting democracy and undermining the judicial system."
Since the plan was announced in early January, tens of thousands of Israelis have demonstrated weekly to denounce the text and the government that Netanyahu formed in December, and the latter announced on March 27 the suspension of the plan to give an "opportunity for dialogue", after the intensification of the protest, the start of a general strike, and the emergence of tensions within the ruling coalition. The organizers of the protest demonstrations saw this announcement as an attempt by the government to contain the protests, and demanded that the plan be completely cancelled.
International News Agency Rudaw24
