(Tel Aviv) Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities on Saturday night for the 22e consecutive week, to protest against the controversial reform project of the judicial system of the government of Binyamin Netanyahu.
Demonstrators have gathered every week since January to denounce the judicial reform promoted by the government of Mr. Netanyahu, one of the most right-wing in the history of Israel, and which is also the target of criticism from the demonstrators.
The Prime Minister announced on March 27 a “pause” in the project to give a “chance […] dialogue”, but the mobilization against the reform remains strong, as well as the criticism against Mr. Netanyahu, charged with corruption in a series of cases.
According to Israeli media, some 100,000 demonstrators gathered in Tel Aviv, a significant figure reported by the country’s more than 9 million residents.
The police do not provide official figures on the demonstrations.
The demonstrators, waving Israeli flags, blocked the Ayalon Expressway in both directions.
Friday evening, several hundred Israelis had gathered in front of the private residence of Mr. Netanyahu in Caesarea, north of Tel Aviv. The demonstration, described as “unauthorized” by the police, was marred by violent incidents with the police and at least 17 arrests.
“We continue to demonstrate to show them that even if they have paused in the reform we remain mobilized and they will not be able to pass laws on the sly”, explains Ilit Fayn, a 55-year-old dentist, participating in the rally of Tel Aviv on Saturday evening.
“It’s very important for us to eliminate the possibility of Israel becoming a dictatorship,” said Arnon Oshri, a 66-year-old farmer.
“This corrupt government is full of outlaws […] it took 2000 years for the Jewish people to have a state, we cannot lose it to a bunch of fanatics,” he added.
According to the government, the reform of the judicial system aims, among other things, to rebalance powers by reducing the prerogatives of the Supreme Court, which the executive considers politicized, in favor of Parliament.
But its detractors believe that it risks opening the way to an illiberal or authoritarian drift.