Sun 15 January 2023:
Tens of thousands of Israelis turned out in the rain Saturday night to protest the country’s new government — led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — which includes far-right, ultraconservative and religious parties. The Netanyahu coalition’s proposed policies pose a threat to democracy and human rights in Israel, the protesters say.
The protest presented an early challenge, to Netanyahu and his ultranationalist national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has ordered police to take tough action, if protesters block roads or display Palestinian flags.
According to the Israeli media, the crowd at Tel Aviv’s Habima Square swelled to at least eighty thousand people, despite cool rainy weather.
Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption charges, has made overhauling the country’s legal system a centerpiece of his agenda.
In office for just over two weeks, his government, which is comprised by ultra-Orthodox and far-right nationalist parties, has launched proposals to weaken the Supreme Court, by giving parliament the power to overturn court decisions, with a simple majority vote. It also wants to give parliament control, over the appointment of judges and reduce the independence of legal advisers.
Tens of thousands protest new far-right Israeli government in Tel Aviv pic.twitter.com/BdH8CJukqu
— INDEPENDENT PRESS (@IpIndependent) January 15, 2023
Tens of thousands protest new far-right Israeli government in Tel Aviv pic.twitter.com/phi07G7j5c
— INDEPENDENT PRESS (@IpIndependent) January 15, 2023
Netanyahu’s return to power, was made possible by a coalition of far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties, who have announced intentions to roll back a number of social reforms which, if enacted, would undermine rights for women and LGBTQ+ people, and expand Jewish settlements in the West Bank, which is against international law.
The legal changes could help Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption, evade conviction, or even make his trial disappear entirely. Since being indicted in 2019, Netanyahu has said the justice system is biased against him.
Police beefed up their presence ahead of the march. Israeli media quoted police as saying officers had been instructed to be “very sensitive” and allow the protest to proceed peacefully. But they also vowed a tough response to any vandalism or violent behavior.
Smaller protests also took place in the cities of Jerusalem and Haifa.
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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