Israelis have taken to the streets in large numbers to protest against the government’s efforts to weaken the judiciary.
Police arrested more than 70 people after blocking major roads and released 45 of those arrested. The protests began on Monday night as lawmakers moved forward with a key element of criminal justice reform.
Opponents of the policy, which has divided the country and lacks foreign investment, gathered in their thousands at Ben Gurion International Airport, taking to the streets and waving Israeli flags. The flights continued as usual and after a few hours the displays were back on Tel Aviv.
Nine protesters and one police officer were treated for minor injuries related to the protests, according to Israel’s emergency agency. They said ambulances were prevented from reaching local hospitals, delaying emergency treatment for at least six patients.
The Israeli shekel strengthened 0.3% to 3.69 against the dollar as of 5:45 pm local time. It has weakened by around 5% since the start of the year, mainly due to the protests and the concerns of technology investors that the Prime Minister. Benjamin Netanyahu he will achieve his goals.
#Israel, anti-government protests and “Day of Confusion” around the world continue. A big show at Ben Gurion International Airport. Not due to officially start for another hour. pic.twitter.com/O4mNuxSVU6
“Last night, Israel became a country close to totalitarianism,” one of the opposition groups said. “This is the total destruction of the state of Israel.”
Minister of Social Affairs Amichai Eliyahu said this Netanyahu leaders would not budge and reiterated their desire to reform the judicial system “gradually.”
He asked the police to respond strongly to the protests. Education Minister Yoav Kisch called them “terrorists.”
The government, which is the most right-wing in Israel’s history, says the judiciary has grown too big and is being taken over by the left. Opponents of the reform include a broad spectrum of Israelis from the tech industry to the military. They say the reform will give politicians unchecked power.
Lawmakers gave preliminary approval to a law that would prevent judges from overturning federal decisions they deem “unreasonable.” It must pass two more votes before becoming law.
A group of reserve pilots met with the head of the Israeli Air Force on Tuesday, Israeli media reported. “We will not serve a dictator, we have sworn to serve the kingdom, not the king,” they told him, according to the reports.
Since criminal reform laws were reinstated in late June, hundreds of reservists — medics, soldiers, veterans and airmen — have signed letters saying they will not be forced to return to work if the reform becomes law. .
Minister of Defense of Israel Yoav Gallant he said calling to stop serving or volunteering “is a reward for our enemies” and weakens the country’s security.
Dan Illouz, a representative of Netanyahu’s Likud party, said the protesters did not understand that judicial reform would strengthen Israel’s democracy. He added that the government, with a majority in the parliament, has the democratic right to enact laws.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid, who was prime minister until late last year, accused the coalition of acting “like a thief in the night.”
“The government has canceled the compromise clause and confirmed that nothing pleases them except fraudulent anti-democratic laws,” he said in a tweet.
Police arrested more than 70 people after blocking major roads and released 45 of those arrested. The protests began on Monday night as lawmakers moved forward with a key element of criminal justice reform.
Opponents of the policy, which has divided the country and lacks foreign investment, gathered in their thousands at Ben Gurion International Airport, taking to the streets and waving Israeli flags. The flights continued as usual and after a few hours the displays were back on Tel Aviv.
Nine protesters and one police officer were treated for minor injuries related to the protests, according to Israel’s emergency agency. They said ambulances were prevented from reaching local hospitals, delaying emergency treatment for at least six patients.
The Israeli shekel strengthened 0.3% to 3.69 against the dollar as of 5:45 pm local time. It has weakened by around 5% since the start of the year, mainly due to the protests and the concerns of technology investors that the Prime Minister. Benjamin Netanyahu he will achieve his goals.
#Israel, anti-government protests and “Day of Confusion” around the world continue. A big show at Ben Gurion International Airport. Not due to officially start for another hour. pic.twitter.com/O4mNuxSVU6
“Last night, Israel became a country close to totalitarianism,” one of the opposition groups said. “This is the total destruction of the state of Israel.”
Minister of Social Affairs Amichai Eliyahu said this Netanyahu leaders would not budge and reiterated their desire to reform the judicial system “gradually.”
He asked the police to respond strongly to the protests. Education Minister Yoav Kisch called them “terrorists.”
The government, which is the most right-wing in Israel’s history, says the judiciary has grown too big and is being taken over by the left. Opponents of the reform include a broad spectrum of Israelis from the tech industry to the military. They say the reform will give politicians unchecked power.
Lawmakers gave preliminary approval to a law that would prevent judges from overturning federal decisions they deem “unreasonable.” It must pass two more votes before becoming law.
A group of reserve pilots met with the head of the Israeli Air Force on Tuesday, Israeli media reported. “We will not serve a dictator, we have sworn to serve the kingdom, not the king,” they told him, according to the reports.
Since criminal reform laws were reinstated in late June, hundreds of reservists — medics, soldiers, veterans and airmen — have signed letters saying they will not be forced to return to work if the reform becomes law. .
Minister of Defense of Israel Yoav Gallant he said calling to stop serving or volunteering “is a reward for our enemies” and weakens the country’s security.
Dan Illouz, a representative of Netanyahu’s Likud party, said the protesters did not understand that judicial reform would strengthen Israel’s democracy. He added that the government, with a majority in the parliament, has the democratic right to enact laws.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid, who was prime minister until late last year, accused the coalition of acting “like a thief in the night.”
“The government has canceled the compromise clause and confirmed that nothing pleases them except fraudulent anti-democratic laws,” he said in a tweet.