Tens of thousands of Israelis participated yesterday, Saturday, in protests across the country to oppose controversial plans by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu aimed at tightening restrictions on the Supreme Court.
The government has temporarily suspended plans for judicial reforms in Israel after protesters organized one of the largest demonstrations in the streets in the country's history, which has now entered its eighteenth week. The reforms grant the government complete control over the appointment of Supreme Court judges and allow the parliament to overturn many of its rulings. The government accuses activist judges of increasingly encroaching on parliamentary powers and claims that judicial reforms are necessary to restore balance between the judiciary and elected officials.
Critics of these reforms argue that they would undermine the checks and balances integral to a democratic system, granting the government unchecked power.
Five months after the formation of a far-right coalition government, 74% of Israelis believe the government is underperforming, according to a survey published by the Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation. Crowds gathered in central Tel Aviv to protest plans they view as a threat to Israel's democratic climate.
Estimates from Israeli Channel 12 indicate that 110,000 people participated in the protests in Tel Aviv alone, while other demonstrations were held across the country. The government paused the reforms in an attempt to give Israeli President Isaac Herzog, whose position is largely ceremonial, time to reach a consensus between the coalition and the opposition that could soften the legislation, but efforts have so far yielded no results.
