JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Tens of thousands of demonstrators thronged to the Habima square in Tel Aviv on Saturday night. In driving rain, the protesters spoke out against the judicial reforms being proposed by the current government.
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A large number of past and present politicians are participating in the demonstration, including Benny Gantz and Gadi Eizenkot, as well as former premier Ehud Barak, former defense minister Moshe Yaalon and former justice minister Tzipi Livni. MKs from Yesh Atid and the National Camp, Avoda and Meretz were also at the demonstration.
מודה שאותי זה הרשים, גשם מטורף בת"א ואנשים ממשיכים להפגין כאילו כלום pic.twitter.com/jQK3oR3Q0o
— יאיר לוי (@Yair__Levy) January 14, 2023
A number of other demonstrations are taking place at the same time in various places around Israel. Opposite the president’s residence in Jerusalem hundreds of protesters have gathered as well as opposite the house of Justice Minister Yariv Levin in Modiin.
כמויות מטורפות של דגלי אש"ף מונפים בהפגנת השמאל בתל אביב pic.twitter.com/WwhiNAVMdL
— יאיר לוי (@Yair__Levy) January 14, 2023
Palestinian flags at Tel Aviv demonstration (Yair Levy)
There were numerous Israeli flags and umbrellas at the demonstration, although Palestinian flags were unfurled by many demonstrators. Police did not intervene despite statements that such flags would be removed. Tel Aviv police superintendent Ami Eshed said that police’s goal was to allow free public protest and only intervene if there is violence or disturbances.
Former Supreme Court Justice Ayala Prokazia spoke at the demonstration and decried what she termed the “new definition of democracy- not moral democracy but democracy which is dependent on the “will of the voter” irrespective of all other basic democratic values.
Prokazia added that “we cannot as a society accept the destruction of the basic values of our system. We will fight in every legal way to block the deterioration in the relations between the government and the citizens. We will fight for the moral complexion of our country. We are at a critical juncture in Israel’s moral future.”
Avi Himi, chair of the Israel Bar Association, hailed the diversity of anti-government protesters at Habima Square in Tel Aviv, united in one goal, “the struggle for Israel’s democracy.”
Himi warned that the destruction of democracies begins with the disbandment of the judiciary and claimed that the government’s reforms are “poisonous” to democracy. He compared Israel’s situation to Poland, Hungary, Turkey, and even said it could become like Iran. Himi rejected government claims that the current judicial system doesn’t allow them to govern, challenging them to show court decisions which prevent fighting poverty, the cost of living and defending Israel’s borders.
Elections have consequences. I love it how the left break every boundary In governance and then go absolutely ballistic when the right does anything they disapprove of.
In The USA, it is traditional to wait 100 days before criticizing a new President.
When Donald Trump was elected President, the protests against him started within 24 hours.
His mostly-Leftist critics did not wait the traditional 100 days, or even 50 days, or even 10 days, or even three days, or even one day.
One recent news article on Matzav said:
“Opposition to the new government began IMMEDIATELY after Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu returned to power…”
Notice the similarity between the mostly-Leftist critics of Donald Trump and the mostly-Leftist critics of Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu: both of them started their attack IMMEDIATELY; the enemies of Donald Trump never gave him a fair chance, and the enemies of Bibi Netanyahu never gave him a fair chance.
It seems that the tactics of the Left are the same everywhere, and if we watch them carefully, we will certainly see more similarities between the Leftists in the USA and the Leftists in Israel.
What it really means is that the leftest establishment and the unions will lose their last control in which they can dictate the law with out using it hound thru the Knesset. The courts will be able like our Supreme Court decide constitutionality and not creat the law
If it makes the pigs squeal then it must be a good thing.
East Germany was called the Democratic Republic of Germany
That sort of explains what these hypocrites mean by “democracy”
These judicial “reforms” will simply put Israel with most other democratic states that have judges approved by the elected legislature, not by judges who select their successors. This whole issue is manufactured outrage.
SEDITION of the highest order & total utter contempt for outcome of a fully democratic election result
they are all welcome to leave, as its a jewish state not a leftist state.
I hope the demonstrators didn’t block any traffic.
Leftist anti jewish Rashim
The nation is evenly divided. No matter who is elected and what they try to do many people will be upset.
Bibi is overplaying his hand. He will lead to a huge backlash against his party and his policies, and against Israel in the world.
Look
The definition of democracy by the left is completely messed up and twisted.
Democracy is all about freedom of elections. The idea is instead of people appointed to life time roles making decisions, those appointed by free elections make it. Elections have consequences . Now yes you need some roles to protect the minority and those that lost but not that the minority should rule.
Look, regimes that are dictatorship like Russia and Iran use the courts to do their dirty work and wash their hands. Judges are often used as a tool to impose these rules. Justice system is not democracy. Free elections arw