Saturday’s demonstrations were the biggest so far since Netanyahu returned to power last month as head of the most right-wing cabinet in the regime’s history.
More than 100,000 people took part in anti-Netanyahu demonstrations, and participants warned that judicial reforms proposed by his militant cabinet were set to give the regime more control over judicial appointments.
According to them, the planned reforms also aim to limit the power of the regime’s Supreme Court to override decisions by the Israeli Cabinet and the Knesset (the regime’s parliament).
Prime Minister Netanyahu is now in his third week of protests after his left-wing opposition refused to accept the results of last November’s elections that produced one of the most radical cabinets in his administration’s history. was rejected.
In addition to threatening the independence of judges and weakening cabinet oversight, protesters say Netanyahu’s proposed reforms will open the door to further corruption.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid also joined tens of thousands of protesters at Saturday’s rally, Press TV reported.
The Tel Aviv demonstrations also attracted people who opposed the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, as many ministers ardently support the expansion of settlements throughout the West Bank.
The 73-year-old prime minister issued a policy statement for his cabinet calling the expansion of settlements across the occupied Palestinian territory a top priority.
Netanyahu’s Likud party argued reforms were necessary to undermine left-wing Israeli judicial judges, who said they had encroached beyond their jurisdiction for political reasons.
To ensure the loyalty and partnership of extremist parties, Netanyahu has promised to promote their desired agenda.
Meanwhile, the prime minister’s own legal problems continue in court, where he is fighting corruption charges.
Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 for accepting bribes, fraud and treachery during the twilight of his previous term as prime minister.
He refused to resign that same year when he became the first sitting Israeli prime minister to be indicted while in office.
His opponents also see judicial reform as a means for him to avoid the consequences of a corruption scandal.
Saturday’s protests came just days after the Supreme Court ordered the prime minister to sack Interior Minister Arie Deli, who heads the Chas party over recent tax convictions.
A court ruled that Deli’s appointment was “extremely unjustified”, coming just months after he was fined and renounced his seat in parliament.
MNA/PR