Protests erupted on Tuesday morning in various areas within Israel, in protest against the Israeli government’s plan to weaken the judicial system and undermine the authority of the Israeli Supreme Court. The Knesset, Israel’s parliament, approved in the first reading a proposed bill that limits the grounds for “unreasonableness.”
The Israeli police arrested 24 protesters who participated in the demonstrations earlier today.
According to the Israeli police, the arrests were made due to public disorder, the closure of major roads, and obstruction of police work.
The protests also witnessed assaults and clashes between the Israeli police and Israeli demonstrators.
Last night, the Knesset approved in the first reading the proposed bill that curtails some of the Supreme Court’s powers as part of proposed judicial amendments introduced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The text was approved in a tumultuous session and received the support of 64 Knesset members, comprising the government coalition, while all 56 opposition members voted against the bill, which aims to eliminate the judiciary’s authority to decide on the “reasonableness” of government decisions.
The plan to amend the laws concerning the judiciary and weaken the judicial system, proposed by the coalition of nationalist and religious parties led by Netanyahu’s Likud party, ignited unprecedented protests and plunged Israel into a major political crisis.
Over the course of 27 weeks, the protests have continued against the Netanyahu government and its plan to weaken the judiciary.
The new bill seeks to limit the authority of the Supreme Court to overturn decisions made by the government, ministers, and elected officials.
The Israeli police carried out arrests of protesters during the demonstrations against the government’s plan to weaken the judiciary. They also used force to disperse demonstrators attempting to reopen closed major roads in several areas.
Crowds of Israelis are participating in widespread protests across the country starting from Tuesday morning as part of the “Day of Disruption.”
Protest organizations opposing the plan to weaken the judiciary intend to close highways, main roads, and intersections in the country. They also plan to demonstrate at Ben Gurion Airport, at the Kaplan Junction in Tel Aviv, in front of the Supreme Court and the residence of the Israeli President in Jerusalem, and in front of the US Embassy in Tel Aviv.
