Hundreds of serving soldiers and reservists held Wednesday, 8 February 2023 a rally in protest against the judicial reforms proposed by the far-right government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israeli military Forces personnel launched their three-day march from Latrun and plan to end it outside the Supreme Court on Friday.
“I hope that we will manage to somehow hold it back, and insert some sense into this gang of out-of-touch people who are leading the judicial overhaul,” said Retired Major General Tal Russo. He added, “They are out of touch and dangerous,”.
Justice Minister Yariv Levin proposed reforms that would be the most radical change in the system of government in Israel. The proposed changes will severely limit the power of the Supreme Court, give the government the power to choose judges, and end the appointment by the Attorney General of legal advisers to ministries.
Moreover, if the Israeli Knesset passed the proposed legislation Netanyahu and any other politicians facing criminal charges will not be liable for prosecution. Israeli court accused prime minister, Netanyahu of corruption to avoid charges although he denies all of the allegations against him.
Earlier this week, thousands of people and activists took to the streets across Israel on Saturday for a fifth straight week to protest against the planned judicial overhaul.
Nearly 50,000 people, including people from non-governmental organizations, lawyers, and the technology sectors, took part in the demonstration in ‘Tel Aviv’, according to local Hebrew media.
It’s worth noting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is leading the most right-wing and religious government Israel has had since its establishment, with Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich — two far-right politicians known for racist and Jewish supremacist rhetoric — serving as senior ministers.
Ben-Gvir’s Jewish Power party and Smotrich’s Religious Zionism party together hold 15 seats in the Knesset and are key members of Netanyahu’s coalition.
Ben-Gvir, an ultranationalist, is serving as the Netanyahu government’s national security minister. He was convicted in 2007 of supporting a terror organization and inciting racism.
Smotrich, a radical right-wing politician who has also expressed anti-LGBTQ views, is serving as the finance minister and as a Defence Ministry minister in charge of civilian affairs in the occupied West Bank.
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