In Israel, protesters rally ahead of key vote on judicial reform

Thousands of Israeli protesters marched near parliament in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on Saturday to show their opposition to the controversial judicial reform, which is the subject of a key vote in the coming days.

The reform by Benjamin Netanyahu’s government deeply divides Israel, which has been rocked since January by one of the longest protest movements in its history.

“The government is not listening to us, that means it is the beginning of a new era, a bad era,” 55-year-old Idit Dekel told AFP.

According to the government, the reform aims to, among other things, rebalance powers by reducing the prerogatives of the Supreme Court, which the executive considers politicized in favor of parliament. But its opponents believe it risks opening the way to an anti-liberal or authoritarian drift.

Dekel, a protester who works in the high-tech sector, summarized, “To me, it’s devastating.”

From Sunday afternoon the Knesset (parliament) will debate a reform measure that aims to rule out the possibility of Israeli justice ruling on the “rationality” of government decisions.

The clause will then be put to vote on the second and third readings. If passed, it would be the first major component of the proposed judicial reform to become law.

– Sit in front of the Knesset –

Thousands of protesters gathered outside the Knesset and Supreme Court in Jerusalem on Saturday evening, after traveling some 65 kilometers between Tel Aviv and the Holy City, to apply pressure on the delegates.

Equipped with umbrellas to shield from the scorching sun, water bottles and Israeli flags, the marchers marched up a section of the highway, stopping in the afternoon and night.

“This government is an extremist, religious government and we hope to topple it as soon as possible,” explains Guy Maidan, who took part in the several-day march with his family.

“Many of us will be camping here until the vote is overturned,” he promised.

According to organizers, demonstrations are also taking place in other Israeli cities, such as Beersheva (south), or in Kfar Saba and Herzliya, north of Tel Aviv.

Approved on the first reading on the night of July 10 to 11, the clause on “rationality” forced Mr Netanyahu in January to sack Eri Deri, the number two in the government, convicted of tax evasion, after a Supreme Court intervention.

Other measures fueled the discontent of the protesters, such as revising the procedure for appointing judges, which has already been adopted by delegates during the first reading.

Critics of the prime minister, who is on trial for corruption, accuse him of wanting to use the reform to reduce a possible verdict against him.

– Threats from constables –

At least 1,142 Israeli Air Force reservists threatened Saturday to suspend their voluntary service if the Knesset passed the bill.

Any law applied “unreasonably” would “compromise my willingness to risk my life and force me, with great sadness, to suspend my voluntary reserve service,” he said in a statement, as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict escalates.

On Thursday evening, Mr Netanyahu affirmed he remained “open” to talks with the opposition, while the project is also facing criticism abroad, particularly in the United States, Israel’s closest ally.

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday urged the Israeli government not to “rush” its reforms and proceed with caution, in an unusually direct criticism of Israel’s domestic politics.