Thousands of Israelis demonstrate in Tel Aviv against judicial reform

July 27, 2023

Thousands of Israelis demonstrated Thursday evening in Tel Aviv against the vote by Parliament on a provision of the controversial reform of the judicial system carried by the right-wing government.

On Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition allies, including far-right parties and ultra-Orthodox Jews, pushed through parliament a clause in the bill limiting the ability of the Supreme Court to overturn a decision of the government.

To cries of “Democracy, Democracy,” waving blue and white Israeli flags, demonstrators gathered Thursday evening in Tel Aviv, the epicenter of protests since the judicial reform bill was presented in January.

This reform, which aims to increase the power of elected officials over that of magistrates, divides the country and has triggered one of the largest protest movements in the history of Israel.

The government believes it is necessary to ensure a better balance of power, but its critics see it as a threat to democracy and fear that it opens the way to an authoritarian drift.

The text voted on Monday is the first of the reform to become law.

Demonstrations had followed Parliament’s vote late into the night on Monday and police used water cannons to disperse the crowds.

The organizers of the movement had announced new rallies during the week.

Critics of the Prime Minister, on trial for corruption, accuse him of wanting to use this reform to mitigate a possible judgment against him, which he denies.