Israeli protesters clashed with police after demonstrators took to the streets for a "day of disruption" as they opposed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's judicial overhaul.
Tuesday's latest series of protests marks the biggest weekday demonstrations in the past few months that sought to go against the government's plans. The gatherings impeded traffic in Tel Aviv and caused chaos at Ben Gurion Airport. Others also marched at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem and lined up on Mediterranean beaches.
Israeli Protests Against Judicial Overhaul
Photographs and video footage released by protest organizers and Israel Police showed demonstrators gathered on the streets in various cities across Israel. They went to Haifa, Petach Tikva, Beer Sheva, Hod Hasharon, and several others.
Authorities revealed that they had arrested at least 71 people by 6:30 p.m. local time but later released at least 45 of them. On Monday, Israeli lawmakers voted to strip the country's Supreme Court of its power to declare government actions "unreasonable," in the first of three required votes for the controversial bill to be passed into law, as per CNN.
The bill is part of a sweeping package of judicial overhaul measures that would reduce the judiciary's power. Netanyahu and his allies have called the measures "reforms" and argued that they are needed to re-balance the power structure between the courts, lawmakers, and the government.
However, those who oppose the new measures criticize the plan and argue that it threatens to turn Israel into a dictatorial nation by removing the most significant check on government actions.
Since the start of this year, large protests have taken place in opposition to the plan, which prompted Netanyahu to pause the legislative process in March. This was followed by an unprecedented general strike that shut down most of the country's economy.
Law enforcement personnel used water cannons to clear a major highway that protesters blocked. On the other hand, according to BBC, some protesters tried to glue themselves to the floor by the entrance to the parliament building.
Demonstrators Clash With Police
Demonstrators were also seen waving Israeli flags, banging drums, carrying flares, and chanting slogans. Video footage also showed a police horse in Tel Aviv knocking a protester to the ground. And in Herzliya, demonstrators burnt tires in the middle of a junction before police pushed them away.
On Tuesday, thousands of protesters gathered at Ben Gurion International Airport at a designated protest area at Terminal 3, the airport's main hub. Some people who attended the demonstration complained of overcrowding and being hemmed in by law enforcement personnel.
In response to the scene at Ben Gurion Airport, officials deployed roughly 1,000 police officers to control the situation. Despite the large crowds, a spokesperson for the airport said that flights were not affected by the protests.
The situation comes as the United States, which has called for the independence of the judiciary to be protected, said that the Israeli government should respect the right of peaceful protest. One of the protesters in Tel Aviv, Ariel Dubinsky, said that Netanyahu and his allies were trying to ruin the judicial system, said Reuters.
