Half a Million Israelis Join Latest Protest Against Netanyahu’s Judicial Overhaul, Organizers Say

Jerusalem: According to organizers, half a million Israelis took to the streets in the latest protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposed judicial overhaul. Demonstrators gathered in Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square on Saturday, calling on the Israeli government to preserve the independence of the country’s judiciary.

The proposed overhaul, which opposition parties and civil rights
groups have criticized, would give the prime minister and justice minister the power to appoint judges and senior officials to the judicial system. Critics argue that this would allow political interference in the courts and undermine the separation of powers.

The Movement organized the protest for Quality Government in Israel, a
non-governmental organization that promotes good governance and transparency. The group’s president, Eliad Shraga, told the crowd that the
proposed changes would lead to the “destruction of the judicial system.”
“We’re not here to talk politics, but to defend the rule of law,” Shraga said. “We won’t let Netanyahu and his cronies destroy our democracy.”
Several opposition leaders also addressed the crowd, including Yair Lapid, the head of the centrist Yesh Atid party. Lapid accused Netanyahu of “trying to take control of the courts.”

“The prime minister wants to turn Israel into a dictatorship,” Lapid said. “We won’t let him do that.” The protest was one of the largest in Israel in recent years and comes amid a series of corruption allegations against Netanyahu. The prime minister is currently facing trial on bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, which he denies.

International human rights groups have also criticized the proposed judicial overhaul. Amnesty International called on the Israeli government to “ensure that the judiciary remains independent and free from political interference.”

The European Union’s ambassador to Israel, Emanuele Giaufret, also expressed concern about the proposed changes. In a statement last month, Giaufret said that the EU was “following with concern” the developments regarding the independence of the judiciary in Israel.

Netanyahu’s supporters have defended the proposed changes, arguing that they would make the judicial system more efficient and accountable. The prime minister has also accused his opponents of trying to undermine his government. “Those who are trying to block the reforms are the same people who have been trying to bring down my government for years,” Netanyahu said in a statement earlier this year.

“I won’t let them do that.” The proposed overhaul will be debated in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in the coming weeks. Whether the protests will impact the government’s plans remains to be seen. For many of the protesters, however, the issue goes beyond politics. “This is not about right or left, it’s about preserving our democracy,” said one demonstrator, who gave her name only as Rachel. “We’re here to tell the government that we won’t let them destroy
it.”