Renewed demonstrations against judicial amendments in Israel
On Saturday, thousands of Israelis demonstrated in Tel Aviv and other cities against the plan for judicial amendments drawn up by the right-wing government, headed by Benjamin Netanyahu, which opponents consider a threat to democracy.
The amendments have divided Israelis and sparked one of the largest protest movements in the country’s history since the ruling coalition, which includes far-right parties and hardline religious groups, unveiled them in January.
Thousands of demonstrators gathered Saturday in Tel Aviv, some waving Israeli flags and chanting “democracy, democracy,” Israeli media reported, and demonstrators continue to put pressure on Netanyahu’s government with weekly protests across the country.
The government considers the amendments, which would give politicians more power over the judiciary, a necessary step to ensure a better balance between powers. Opponents fear that reform will pave the way for an authoritarian drift.
Last month, the Israeli Knesset approved the first major clause in the package of amendments that limits judicial oversight of some government decisions
Last Thursday, the Israeli Supreme Court considered the first of a group of appeals against the amendments submitted by monitoring groups and opposition representatives. The appeals ask the court to issue a ruling against some judicial amendments.
The Supreme Court, which has long been seen by many as the standard bearer of basic rights and scorned by others as elitist and overreaching, is coming under increasingly intense scrutiny.
(AFP, The New Arab)
#Renewed #demonstrations #judicial #amendments #Israel
2023-08-05 22:10:40
