Israelis on the streets again over judicial reform
Hundreds of thousands of Israelis took to the streets again against the government's judicial reforms. More than 100,000 Israelis took part in demonstrations in many locations across the country, mainly in Tel Aviv, West Jerusalem, Haifa, Beersheba and Rehovot.
Israelis protesting against the judicial reform took to the streets across the country for the 27th week of protests.
According to Anadolu Agency, Israelis have been protesting for weeks against the coalition government led by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's government's reform that limits the powers of the judiciary.
Israelis, who organize mass demonstrations every Saturday evening against the judicial regulation of the far-right coalition government led by Netanyahu, took to the squares across the country again in the 27th week of the protests.
More than 100,000 Israelis participated in demonstrations in many locations across the country, especially in Tel Aviv, West Jerusalem, Haifa, Beersheba and Rehovot.
The demonstrators, often chanting "democracy" with Israeli flags, carried banners, banners and pictures criticizing far-right politicians in the coalition government. Demonstrators chanted "Resist. The most important thing is to be fearless."
Some anti-Israeli occupation protesters in Tel Aviv also chanted slogans against the Israeli army's attack on Jenin in the northern part of the occupied West Bank and carried banners reading "No democracy with occupation" and "Palestinian lives matter".
INTERVENTION AGAINST DEMONSTRATORS BLOCKING THE HIGHWAY
Some demonstrators blocked the Ayalon highway, the main artery of Tel Aviv. Israeli police used intervention vehicles and force against the demonstrators blocking the highway. In some streets in Tel Aviv, police intervened against the protesters with mounted troops. At some points, there were clashes between demonstrators and police.
On the other hand, thousands of demonstrators gathered in front of the Presidential Residence in West Jerusalem. The demonstration in West Jerusalem was attended by the family of Palestinian autistic Iyad Hayri Hallak, who was shot dead by police in occupied East Jerusalem in 2020. Similarly, a group of demonstrators in Tel Aviv held a banner reading "Who killed Iyad?".
This week, an Israeli court acquitted the policeman who shot Hallak on the grounds that he "made a mistake" and "acted in self-defense".
POSTPONED JUDICIAL REGULATION
The "judicial reform" announced by Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin on January 5 includes changes such as limiting the powers of the Supreme Court and giving the government a say in judicial appointments.
Netanyahu had announced on March 27 that he was postponing the judicial reform, which has caused increasing mass protests and strikes across the country.
However, Netanyahu announced that they would bring the judicial amendment back to the agenda after the 2023-2024 budget is passed by the parliament at the end of May.
Following the stalemate between Netanyahu's coalition and the opposition over the judiciary amendment, the government has recently started working on the judiciary amendment again.
This week, the government passed a bill that would remove the Supreme Court's control over the government.
Tel Aviv Police Chief Ami Eshed resigned, citing pressure from the government for the police force to crack down harder on protests.
In Israel, the protest movement against the Netanyahu government's judicial reforms and other right-wing policies has been demonstrating across the country for 6 months.
