In Israel today there were again mass protests against the controversial judicial reform of the ultra-right government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to Channel 12, around 110,000 people gathered in the center of Tel Aviv alone. There were also rallies in other cities. Many of the participants waved the white and blue Israeli flag.
The debate about judicial reform has triggered a deep domestic and social crisis in Israel. There have been unprecedented protests against the government plans since January. The demonstrators accuse the government of wanting to weaken the country’s independent judiciary and undermine democracy in Israel.
The government’s plan aims to reduce the powers of the judiciary and the Supreme Court and strengthen the position of Parliament and the Prime Minister. With the reform, Parliament could overturn Supreme Court decisions with a simple majority.
At the end of March, Netanyahu suspended the legislative process until the end of April as a result of the massive protests in order to “give dialogue a chance”. President Isaac Herzog mediates between the government and the opposition. So far there has not been a compromise.
