Police are said to be expected to increase crowds at rallies across the country on Saturday evening, as protesters intensify protests against the coalition’s new efforts to dramatically undermine the judiciary.
Demonstrations against the effort to rebuild the judicial system have gained renewed momentum in the past week as the coalition introduced a bill to reduce judicial oversight over government decisions.
Organizers said in a statement that “protests are gathering pace” and rallies would be held 150 places across the country.
The main Tel Aviv rally will begin with a march from Habima Square at 7 p.m.
Speeches were scheduled to begin around 8:30 to include those observing Shabbat.
The central protest will be addressed by Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai, women’s protest leader Moran Zer Katzenstein, who was detained by police on Thursday during a demonstration outside the home of Women’s Status Minister May Golan, and tech entrepreneurs and protest leaders . Moshe Radman. The program will be moderated by journalist Or-Lee Barlev.
Bonot Alternative founder Moran Zer Katzenstein (R) with protesters outside May Golan’s home in Tel Aviv, June 29, 2023 (Bonot Alternative)
In a statement, protest organizers cited Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hardline coalition moves Limit demonstrations near MPs’ homesAnd Ministers call for more arrests and prosecutions Of those who block roads and airports.
,[The government] There is intent to limit our right to protest as well as freedom of expression, and we are seeing police action being taken against key protesters opposing the regime,” the statement read.
“All these steps have been seen only under dictatorial regimes. This proves without a doubt to those who were still unsure that Israel is in the midst of a regime coup attempt of the worst kind, protest leaders said.
“Now is the time to come forward and protest in every possible legal and non-violent way,” the statement said.
Activists paint a rainbow flag and the phrase ‘Here to Stay’ on the street near Mitzpe Rimon on July 1, 2023 (Courtesy The Pink Front)
In addition to the detention of several prominent protesters this week, it was also reported that an official task force set up by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir check If former Prime Minister Ehud Barak and former Meretz MK Yair Golan could be charged with incitement for comments urging anti-government protests.
While protesters had somewhat tamed the flames over the past few months as judicial overhaul legislation was put on hold, organizers said now that the government has moved forward with some elements of the plan in the Knesset , So they are renewing efforts.
According to Hebrew-language media reports, police were not expecting any surprises on Saturday evening, as they did on Thursday by blocking Tel Aviv’s Ayalon Highway.
Israelis protest against plans to reform the judicial system by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in Tel Aviv, Israel, June 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Ariel Shalit)
The protest came as opponents of the government’s judicial reform were due to demonstrate outside Ben Gurion Airport’s main terminal on Monday.
Organizers called on protesters to walk in convoys and gather outside Terminal 3 of Ben Gurion Airport at 5:30 p.m. Monday.
He said the airport was chosen as the site of the protest because it “symbolizes that Israel is a prosperous liberal and democratic nation.”
With school ending for the year, the airport is expected to see an increase in traffic as families head out for summer vacations.
Protest organizers said they did not want to disrupt commuters’ plans, warning them to avoid arriving at the airfield by car and to take a train instead.
Participants were asked to try and prevent any obstruction for people trying to reach the airport and block only the pavement outside the terminal, rather than any road.
Netanyahu, who earlier this year was forced to take a helicopter to the airport to catch a flight abroad because protesters were blocking roads, this week did not sue protesters who blocked access to the airport. Criticized the legal authorities for running
Anti-government protesters wave national flags as they demonstrate outside Ben Gurion airport against a controversial judicial reform bill as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leaves for Germany on an official visit March 15, 2023. (Ahmed Gharabali/AFP)
The protests intensified when the Knesset of Constitution, Law and Justice called for deliberations on a bill to bar judges from conducting judicial reviews on the “reasonableness” of government decisions.
Coalition leaders have vowed to pass such legislation before the Knesset summer recess at the end of the month.
And Netanyahu has said his government will also move to redesign the powerful judicial selection committee at a later date, though he has said this is a departure from Justice Minister Yariv Levin’s previous plan to assert full political control over the process. Will take shape
Opponents of the government’s judicial reform on Friday mobilized Outside the houses of several ministers.
In Moshav Amikam in northern Israel, protesters gathered near the home of Defense Minister Yoav Galant carrying Israeli flags and banging drums and vuvuzelas while chanting “democracy”.
Outside the home of Social Equality Minister Amichai Chikli in Kibbutz Hanaton, protesters dressed in costumes from “The Handmaid’s Tale”—which became a fixture A week after Israel fell 23 places to 83rd in the World Economic Forum’s annual global gender gap report – amid anti-overhaul demonstrations – to condemn the level of female representation in Netanyahu’s government.
At present only six of the 33 ministers in the cabinet are women.
A screenshot from video of a protest outside the home of Social Equality Minister Amichai Chikli in Kibbutz Hanaton, northern Israel, shows protesters dressed in “The Handmaid’s Tale” costume, June 30, 2023. (Twitter. Used pursuant to section 27A of the Copyright Act)
Protesters also rallied outside the homes of Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Environment Protection Minister Idit Silman, who live in the central cities of Modine and Rehovot, respectively.
Levin is a prominent proponent of rebuilding the judicial system and has been a frequent target of protesters, including six Arrested During a fierce demonstration outside his house on Tuesday. Silman was a member of the previous coalition before helping its collapse by defecting last year, before which she accused Netanyahu’s Likud party – to which she is now affiliated – has been funding protests outside her home. this week he called Police moved the protests away from residential areas, citing excessive noise.
The protest came a day after Netanyahu, Levin and Ben Gvir Play Top law enforcement officers during a meeting to discuss rallies outside the homes of coalition MPs.
The three accused Attorney General Baharao-Miara of negligence during a closed-door meeting to discuss protesters demonstrating outside the homes of coalition lawmakers, which was widely reported by Hebrew media.
Ben Gwir, who has been urging police to deal with the protesters more firmly, demanded Baharao-Miara and state prosecutor Amit Aiseman to produce indictments filed against the protesters over the past six months.
