Israel protests: Thousands of Israelis staged protests across the country on Saturday against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans to tighten controls on the Supreme Court.
The plan would give the government control over naming judges to the Supreme Court and let parliament override many rulings. However, Netanyahu paused the plan after opponents organised some of the biggest street protests ever seen in Israel.
The government feels activist judges are increasingly usurping the role of parliament. The overhaul is necessary to restore balance between the judiciary and elected politicians, it says.
Unchecked power to government
However, opponents say it will remove vital checks and balances underpinning a democratic state and give unchecked power to the government.
On Saturday, a sea of blue and white Israeli flags, which have become a symbol of the protests, coated a central highway in Tel Aviv. Protestors chanted, “Israel is almost a dictatorship.” A banner reading “stop them” was held up by the crowd.
‘Democracy could turn into dictatorship’
“It scares me that we are still a few hours away at any given moment from turning from a democracy to a dictatorship,” Sagi Mizrahi, a 40-year-old computer programmer in Tel Aviv said. “I’m here because of the judicial system and the laws that are still sitting on the table, it’s just scary.”
Last Saturday the protests were not as widespread following a truce between Israel and the militant Islamic Jihad group. But protests erupted on May 20 with Hebrew media estimating some 90,000-100,000 in attendance.
The police force did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“Gradually, myself my kids and my grandkids are losing the hope to live here in a democratic state and to have a normal life like every person deserves,” Hava Golan, 65 year-old biology professor said.
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