Israelis protest for 16th consecutive week against Netanyahu's judicial reform

The demonstration on Saturday comes ahead of another mass protest planned for Sunday.

TEL AVIV (AFP) – Tens of thousands of Israelis have packed Tel Aviv streets for the 16th consecutive week to protest government judicial reforms they see as an attack on democracy.

The weekly protests have continued despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on March 27 announcing a "pause" to allow for talks on the reforms which were moving through parliament and split the nation.

The demonstration on Saturday comes ahead of another mass protest planned for the coastal city on Sunday to coincide with a Netanyahu speech to the general assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America.

The government's reform proposals would curtail the authority of the Supreme Court and give politicians greater powers over the selection of judges.

Netanyahu's administration, a coalition between his Likud party and extreme-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish allies, argues the changes are needed to rebalance powers between lawmakers and the judiciary.

Opponents of the reform plan another demonstration on Tuesday in Tel Aviv ahead of 'Independence Day' on Wednesday, and those who back the reform are expected to gather on Thursday.

Holiday marred by crisis

The mass protest — which has raged weekly since the start of the year — comes just ahead of Israel's landmark 75th anniversary celebration. For Palestinians, it is called Nakba, the day when Palestine's ethnic cleansing began.

The holiday honouring Israel's founding in 1948, typically meant to be a display of national unity, has been marred by one of Israel's gravest crises in its history.

“This is not about so-called judicial reform, it’s about democracy,” said Sheila Katz, head of the National Council of Jewish Women, from the rally in central Tel Aviv — a sea of blue-and-white national flags.

“In order for your sacred courts to protect the rights of all people, they must remain independent from politics.”

The protests have galvanised people across Israeli society. Thousands of officers in elite reserve units of the military have said they will refuse to report for duty.

High-tech business leaders and the security establishment have come out against the proposal.

Opponents say it will destroy a system of checks and balances by concentrating power in the hands of Netanyahu and his allies in parliament.

They also say that Netanyahu has a conflict of interest at a time when he is on trial.