Israel: Thousands rally in support of controversial judicial reform plan

Tens of thousands of Israelis rallied in Jerusalem yesterday in support of a controversial judicial reform plan brought forward by the far-right coalition government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Anadolu news agency reported.

Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said the protesters began their demonstration in front of the Supreme Court headquarters in Jerusalem.

Since the beginning of the week, far-right parties in Israel have called on supporters to participate in the demonstration.

According to the paper, the demonstration was funded by Netanyahu’s Likud Party and the Religious Zionism Party led by extremist Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

READ: Palestinians mark 75 years since the Nakba in destroyed village

Police closed a number of main streets in Jerusalem as a result of the demonstration, the paper said.

The organisers are calling on the government to pass the judicial reform legislation during the Knesset summer session, which begins next week.

On Saturday, Israeli President Isaac Herzog described the conflict over the judicial reform plan as the most serious internal crisis since the establishment of the occupation state.

The judicial plan limits the Supreme Court’s powers, and gives the government control over the committee that appoints supreme court judges. Its opponents believe it is a “coup” against the judiciary.

READ: Brazil´s president: The UN was so strong enough to create Israel, but now cant create a Palestinian state