Israel: Tens of thousands demonstrate against controversial judicial reform

In Israel, tens of thousands of people have once again demonstrated against the controversial judicial reform of the ultra-right government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Protesters gathered in several cities across the country on Saturday night. In Tel Aviv alone, tens of thousands of people took part in the country's largest rally, according to a reporter from the AFP news agency.

Another large-scale demonstration of the opponents of reform was planned for Sunday in Tel Aviv on the occasion of a speech by Netanyahu at the General Assembly of Jewish associations in North America. A rally in Tel Aviv was also announced for Tuesday evening. The proponents of the reform want to take to the streets on Thursday evening.

Next week, there will be important commemorations in Israel. On Tuesday, the Day of Remembrance or Yom Hasikaron, the fallen soldiers of the country and the victims of terror are commemorated. On Wednesday, Israel's 75th anniversary will be celebrated.

First splits in the Likud party

The demonstrators accuse the government of wanting to weaken the country's independent judiciary with its reform. Since the announcement of the planned reform at the beginning of January, opponents of the judicial reform have been protesting regularly for 16 weeks now. According to their will, the protests should continue until the project is completely stopped.

The government's plan aims to limit the powers of the judiciary and the Supreme Court and to strengthen the position of parliament and the prime minister. With the reform, the deputies could overturn any decisions of the chief justices.

Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption, portrays the reform as necessary to restore balance in the separation of powers. Critics, on the other hand, fear an abolition of the separation of powers and thus an erosion of democracy.

Under growing pressure from the street and the first splits within his own Likud party, Netanyahu announced a "pause" in the legislative process at the end of March in order to "give dialogue a chance".