Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Israel is heating up again after tens of thousands of people join in protests across the country, against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to tighten controls on the Supreme Court.
The planned reshuffle, which would have given the government control over the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court and allowed parliament to override many decisions, was put on hold after opponents organized some of the largest street protests Israel has ever seen.
The government accuses activist judges of increasingly usurping the role of parliament, and says a shake-up is needed to restore balance between the judiciary and elected politicians.
Critics say it would take away the vital checks and balances that underpin a democratic state and leave unchecked power to the government.
A sea of blue and white Israeli flags, which have become symbols of the protests, filled a main thoroughfare in Tel Aviv. Protesters chanted, “Israel has almost become a dictatorship,” as banners reading “stop them” were held up by the crowd.
“I fear that we are still hours away at any given moment from going from democracy to dictatorship,” Sagi Mizrahi, a 40-year-old computer programmer told Reuters in Tel Aviv.
“I’m here because of the justice system and the laws that are still on the table, it’s scary,” Mizrahi added.
“Gradually, my children and my grandchildren lost hope of living in a democratic country and having the normal life that everyone deserves,” said Hava Golan, a 65-year-old biology professor.
(luc/luc)
2023-05-20 23:20:00
#Israel #Fucked #Protests #Country #Government #Fails
