In Israel, tens of thousands of people took to the streets again on Saturday evening to protest against the controversial judicial reform. At the central rally in Tel Aviv, former Prime Minister Ehud Barak called for the protest measures that have been going on for 25 weeks to be intensified. The only legitimate way is civil disobedience, said Barak.
The right-wing conservative Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu initially suspended plans to restructure the judicial system in March after massive pressure. However, months of negotiations between the government and the opposition did not result in an agreement. A week ago, Netanyahu then announced that he would continue to press ahead with the reform despite the massive protests.
Netanyahu’s right-wing religious coalition wants to use the restructuring to specifically weaken the country’s highest court. The government accuses the judges of excessive interference in political decisions. Critics see the separation of powers and thus the democratic order in danger.
The organizers of the protests announced “targeted and non-violent protest actions against the dictatorial laws”. Many demonstrators in Tel Aviv also protested against the Israeli occupation in the Palestinian territories.
