“No to dictatorship” – Israel: 250,000 demonstrators against justice reform

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More than a quarter of a million people protested in Israel against the controversial judicial reform of the right-wing religious government. In central Tel Aviv, protesters gathered for the 11th consecutive Saturday with Israeli flags and protest signs. It read, among other things: “No to dictatorship” or “Israel is not Iran yet”.

There were also protests in cities such as Jerusalem and Beersheba. There were isolated cases of arrests and violent attacks by reform supporters on demonstrators. Opposition leader Yair Lapid wrote on Twitter that he condemned the “extreme increase in violence”. You will not silence the protesters.

Independent jurisdiction at risk
For more than two months, thousands of people have taken to the streets in Israel against the comprehensive bill. Parliament must, among other things, be able to overturn decisions by the Supreme Court with a simple majority. In addition, politicians should have more influence in the appointment of judges. The coalition wants to push key elements of the controversial reform through accelerated procedures by the end of the month. Critics see the separation of powers as a pillar of democracy in danger and warn of a dangerous state crisis.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immediately rejected a compromise proposal from Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog on Wednesday. It is unbalanced and only reinforces the current condition. The opposition supported the proposal. “It’s not perfect, but it’s a reasonable compromise that allows us to live here together,” opposition leader Yair Lapid said. In a civil war, there are only losers. Herzog stressed that the proposal was intended as a basis for talks.

Resistance also in the army
The protest movement is one of the largest in Israel’s history and includes broad segments of society. There is also increasing resistance from the army. For example, hundreds of elite officers from the military reserve announced that they would no longer report from Sunday.

Source: Krone

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