by Reuters: Thousands of Israelis joined protests across the country on Saturday against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s controversial plans to tighten control over the Supreme Court, which is now entering its 20th week.
The planned overhaul, which would give the government control over the naming of judges to the Supreme Court and allow parliament to override many rulings, was halted after opponents organized some of the biggest street protests Israel has ever seen.
The government accuses activist judges of increasingly usurping the role of parliament, and says the overhaul is needed to restore a balance between the judiciary and elected politicians.
Critics say it would remove important checks and balances that underpin a democratic state and hand the government unchecked power.
A central highway in Tel Aviv is a sea of blue and white Israeli flags, which have become a symbol of the protests. Demonstrators chanted, “Israel is almost a dictatorship,” as banners reading “Stop them” were held by the crowd.
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“It scares me that at any moment we are still hours away from turning from a democracy to a 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 sitting on the table, it’s just scary.”
Protests drew a low attendance last Saturday as a deal between Israel and the militant Islamic Jihad group officially took effect, ending a five-day escalation of cross-border fire since the 10-day war in 2021. Was the worst episode of. Enthusiasm has been high with Hebrew media estimating around 90,000–100,000 in attendance.
The police force did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“Slowly, my children and my grandchildren are losing hope to live here in a democratic state and live a normal life like every other person,” said 65-year-old Hawa Golan, a biology professor.
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