The protests against the controversial judicial reform in Israel are gaining momentum. According to media reports, around 200,000 people demonstrated on Saturday evening in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv against the policies of Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing religious government. Thousands of demonstrators also gathered in other major cities across the country, waving blue and white Israeli flags. More protests are planned throughout the week.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed support for the demonstrators in a video message. “Dear Israeli friends, as the Socialist International, we have always fought for freedom, equality, justice and democracy,” said the head of the ruling socialist party PSOE. “But as many of you already know – these are values that we cannot take for granted and that we must promote and defend on a daily basis.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen criticized this. “The opponents of reform know no red lines, including trying to harm (Israel’s) international status,” he wrote on Twitter. “No foreign representative will make decisions for the Israeli public, and I’m sure Sanchez doesn’t intend to.”
New initiative in Parliament on Monday?
Around 200,000 supporters of the judicial reform demonstrated in Jerusalem on Thursday evening. Netanyahu initially suspended the reform plans last month after massive criticism. However, talks between the government and the opposition mediated by President Izchak Herzog have so far failed to reach an agreement.
The new parliamentary session officially began on Sunday, with the first plenary session scheduled for Monday. Opponents of the judicial reform fear that the government could make a new push to implement the controversial project after the break in the session. They see the reform as a threat to democracy in Israel – there have been massive protests across the country for about four months.
Netanyahu spoke of a “fundamental debate between us about judicial reform” at the beginning of the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem on Sunday. You make “every effort” to resolve the dispute through dialogue. “With goodwill on both sides, I am convinced that an agreement is possible – and I give it my full support.” However, Netanyahu is under strong pressure within his coalition to push through the reform even in the face of resistance.
New elections are also in the room
According to Israeli media reports, the government first wants to approve the budget for the current and next year before taking further steps to weaken the judicial system. If this is not achieved by May 29, the parliament would automatically dissolve and a new election would be necessary.
However, ultra-Orthodox parties are calling for the passage of a law that would de facto exempt strictly religious men from military service as a condition of their support. This caused great anger in the liberal camp. A new large-scale rally under the motto “Day of National Equality” is therefore planned for Thursday.
