Thousands of Israelis march in Tel Aviv against judicial reform plans

Tel Aviv, The Gulf Observer: Thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets of Tel Aviv in the latest protest against the hard-right government’s controversial judicial reform plans that opponents see as a threat to democracy.

“Democracy, democracy,” protesters chanted as they marched on Saturday.

“We won’t give up until it gets better.”

“Despite months of protests, things are not going the way we wanted as one important part of the judiciary overhaul has been passed a few weeks ago,” protester Ben Peleg, 47, told AFP news agency.

“But if we continue to apply pressure on the streets, there is a possibility that we can still stop these changes.”

Last month, the Israeli parliament voted to limit the so-called “reasonableness” law.

The new legislation curbs judicial review by Israel’s top court of some government decisions, and critics fear it could pave the way to a more authoritarian government.

Israel’s traditional bedrock ally Washington has described parliament’s vote as “unfortunate” and repeatedly raised concern about the political turmoil.

Netanyahu’s coalition government, which includes far-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties, argues the reforms are necessary to rebalance the relationship between elected officials and the judiciary.

Demonstrators have organised mass protests every Saturday against the far-right coalition government’s judicial overhaul, which was announced in January.

Numerous prominent figures in Israeli politics, the military, security, economy and the judiciary have publicly expressed opposition to the reform plans.