Tens of thousands of demonstrators have once again taken to the streets throughout Israel to protest against the judicial reform proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
Protesters blocked one of the roads leading to one of Tel Aviv’s main airports, causing Netanyahu, who had plans to leave on an official visit to Rome, to be airlifted by helicopter.
The massive protests in Israel against the judicial reform promoted by the new right-wing government of Benjamin Netanyahu expand every week to new sectors of society and already include important leaders of culture, the economy, justice and even the Army.
Netanyahu and his allies say the measures aim to rein in a court that has overstepped its authority. Critics say the overhaul will upset the country’s delicate system of checks and balances and undermine the supervisory role of the Supreme Court.
What began as isolated demonstrations in liberal and combative Tel Aviv has grown into a massive protest movement that has drawn tens of thousands of demonstrators from nearly the entire country every week.
The last one, last Saturday, brought together more than 250,000 people across the country — 160,000 in Tel Aviv alone — and this Thursday there are new protests that aspire to paralyze the country, with participants shouting “democracy” and “no to dictatorship.”
According to a recent poll, 66% of Israelis oppose the government’s plans for judicial reform.