During a day of nationwide demonstrations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's contentious judicial reform plan, tens of thousands of demonstrators blocked highways and train stations on Tuesday and gathered in central Tel Aviv.
In recent days, the protests, which are now in their seventh month, have taken on a greater sense of urgency as Netanyahu and his allies in parliament move forward with the program.
Israeli Reservists Protest Against Judicial Change
The first bill, which seeks to restrict the Supreme Court's oversight authority, could become law as early as next week.
Israel's figurehead president, Isaac Herzog, was invited to the White House to commemorate Israel's 75th anniversary, but the unrest cast a pall over his visit.
Herzog, a political moderate, has been involved in efforts to mediate a compromise on judicial reform, which has strained relations between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Joe Biden.
During a meeting in the Oval Office with Vice President Biden, Herzog acknowledged that Israel was "undergoing a passionate debate as a society." However, he stated that the debate demonstrates that Israeli society is "tough and resilient." He added that the nation should pursue a "common ground."
Biden, who has criticized the revision plan, has stated that the United States' commitment to Israel is robust and that the relationship between the two nations is "unbreakable."
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Israel Judicial Reform
According to Politico, Netanyahu and his associates argue that the reform is necessary to reign in the powers of an unelected judiciary (particularly the Supreme Court) that, in their view, is excessively involved in government decision-making.
Their opponents, who represent a broad cross-section of Israeli society, argue that the plan is an attempt by Netanyahu and his ultranationalist and ultra-Orthodox allies to demolish the country's delicate system of checks and balances.
In addition, they assert that the prime minister, who is currently on trial for corruption, and his allies are motivated by various grievances against the justice system.
Tuesday night, demonstrators swarmed outside the US diplomatic offices in Tel Aviv, filled the city's central square, and shut down the city's main thoroughfare. The police on horseback galloped through the masses to disperse them.
Before this, protesters congregated before Israel's stock exchange and military headquarters. Business leaders have repeatedly warned that a compromised legal system will discourage foreign investment. Reservists from critical military divisions, such as fighter pilots and cyber warfare agents, have threatened not to report for duty.
If the legislation passes, many Israeli reservists, the backbone of the country's military authority in times of conflict, have threatened to refuse service. Thousands were expected to again take to the streets in Israel as part of the weekly demonstrations against Netanyahu's proposals, as per Telegraph via MSN.
Outside the Tel Aviv stock exchange, protesters lit smoke grenades, drummed, chanted, and carried signs that read "save our startup nation" and "Dictatorship will destroy the economy."
Others demonstrated in front of the headquarters of the Histadrut, Israel's largest labor union, demanding that it call for a general strike. This move could paralyze the economy of the country.
Outside the building, protesters climbed scaffolding and raised reservist protest flags. The labor union called for a strike in March, contributing to Netanyahu's decision to halt the judicial overhaul. During highway-blocking protests in central Israel, police say officers have arrested at least 19 individuals suspected of public disturbance.
The unprecedented dispute over Netanyahu's proposed reforms has exposed a significant chasm in Israeli society between the secular, liberal population, who oppose the measures, and the religious conservatives, who support them.
Critics of the reform assert that it will weaken the Israeli legal system by eliminating vital checks and balances on Israeli ministers. However, Netanyahu and his supporters assert the reforms are required because, according to them, the courts have excessive power over the government.
