(Tel Aviv) Thousands of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv on Saturday for the 13th straight week to protest the proposed justice reform, despite Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s “pause” in the legislative process.
Waving Israeli flags, protesters marched through the center of the city chanting “democracy” and carrying signs against Binyamin Netanyahu’s government, one of the most right-wing in Israel’s history.
Smaller rallies were held in other cities across the country.
Since the announcement of the reform project in early January, tens of thousands of Israelis have demonstrated every week to denounce the project and shout down the government formed in December by Mr. Netanyahu.
A legislative “pause” was announced on March 27 by Mr. Netanyahu to give a “chance […] to dialogue”, after a day of intensification of the protest, the beginning of a general strike and the appearance of tensions within of the majority, triggered in particular by the announcement of the dismissal of the Minister of Defense, Yoav Gallant, who had spoken for a “break”.
For the government, the reform aims, among other things, to rebalance powers by reducing the prerogatives of the Supreme Court, which the executive considers politicized, in favor of Parliament.
Critics of the reform believe, on the contrary, that it risks jeopardizing the democratic principles in use in Israel by blowing up safeguards. They fear that it opens the way to an illiberal or authoritarian drift.
A meeting took place on March 28 between representatives of the majority and the two main opposition parties, as part of a mediation under the aegis of President Isaac Herzog.
Several political analysts and opposition leaders, however, are skeptical about the chances of success of presidential mediation.
Mr. Gallant, who has not yet received the official letter of dismissal required by law, continues to exercise his functions normally within the government.
