Israeli Protesters Block Highways and Clash with Police Over Supreme Court Bill
TEL AVIV, July 11 (Reuters) – Israeli protesters took to the streets on Tuesday, blocking major highways and engaging in clashes with police, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hard-right coalition pushed forward with a controversial bill aimed at curbing the power of the Supreme Court.
Flag-waving demonstrators disrupted morning traffic at major intersections and on highways across the country. Some protesters even lay down on the roads, while others threw flares.
In Tel Aviv, police on horseback were deployed among hundreds of demonstrators. At the entrance to Jerusalem, officers used a water cannon to disperse some protesters and forcibly removed others.
According to police, at least 42 people were arrested, and further protests were planned throughout the day, including at the main international Ben Gurion airport.
The proposed bill, which seeks to change the justice system, has sparked unprecedented protests, raised concerns about Israel’s democratic health among Western allies, and negatively impacted the economy.
Late on Monday, the bill won the first of three required votes to become law, prompting cries of ‘for shame’ from opposition lawmakers.
If passed as is, the bill would limit the Supreme Court’s power to overturn decisions made by the government, ministers, and elected officials by deeming them unreasonable.
Critics argue that this judicial oversight is necessary to prevent corruption and abuses of power. However, proponents of the bill claim that it will facilitate effective governance by reducing court intervention, asserting that judges have other legal means to exercise oversight.
Some members of Netanyahu’s Likud party have suggested that the bill may be modified before the final vote, which they hope to conclude before the Knesset breaks for the summer on July 30.
However, Simcha Rothman, the head of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee responsible for drafting the bill, stated that he does not expect any significant changes to be made.
The government’s push for judicial reform has deeply divided Israeli society. Netanyahu, who is currently on trial for corruption charges he denies, had temporarily halted the campaign for compromise talks with the opposition. However, these negotiations collapsed in June.
The United States has urged Netanyahu to reach broad agreements on justice reforms that would maintain the independence of Israel’s courts.
Netanyahu has not indicated that he will pause the legislation again and has downplayed the economic consequences of the campaign, which has unsettled investors and weakened the shekel by almost 8% since January.
The head of Israel’s largest labor union, Arnon Bar-David, called on Netanyahu to reject what he described as extremism, asking, “Where are you taking the state of Israel? What legacy will you leave behind? End this crazy chaos.”
Additional reporting by Maayan Lubell, Dan Williams, and Steven Scheer; Writing by Maayan Lubell; Editing by Louise Heavens and William Maclean
What impact are the protests against the Supreme Court bill having on Israel’s democracy and economy
Israeli Protesters Take to the Streets Over Supreme Court Bill, Leading to Clashes with Police
Israeli protesters have caused major disruption by blocking highways and clashing with the police amid Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hard-right coalition’s push for a controversial bill to limit the power of the Supreme Court. Demonstrators, waving flags, disrupted traffic in various locations across the country, with some lying down on the roads and others lighting flares. In Tel Aviv, police on horseback were deployed among hundreds of protesters, while in Jerusalem, officers utilized a water cannon to disperse some demonstrators and forcibly remove others. At least 42 people have been arrested thus far, and further protests are scheduled throughout the day, including at the international Ben Gurion airport. The proposed bill, which aims to alter the justice system, has provoked widespread protests, alarmed Israel’s western allies regarding the state of its democracy, and negatively impacted the economy. The bill has already won the first of three votes required for it to become law.
