Israeli front pages covered in black over judicial reform bill

Several Israeli newspapers this morning published blacked-out front pages to protest against the Israeli Knesset’s vote in favour of the first bill in the controversial judicial overhaul plan.

Headlined, “A Black Day for Israeli Democracy,” the ads were paid for by the Israeli Hi-Tech Protest movement, which described itself as “a group composed of hundreds of high-tech companies and entrepreneurs across Israel, guiding Israel’s advanced technology and feeling a sense of mission and responsibility for the country’s future.”

“Israel’s engine will never give up,” the ads stated on a second black page printed on popular dailies including Israel Hayom, Haaretz and Calcalist.

The ‘reasonableness law’, which passed its second and third readings yesterday by a majority of 64 out of the 120 Knesset members, limits the Supreme Court’s power to overturn government decisions and appointments of ministers it deems ‘unreasonable’.

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Some accuse long-serving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of using the judicial overhaul to push Israel towards autocracy.

In a statement on Facebook, the Hi-Tech Protest group declared that “the battle for the future of the State of Israel has only just begun.”

“We will win because the majority of the people are with us, we will win because the spirit of the free man cannot be broken,” it added, pledging to protest until the government falls.

Moreover, a spokesperson from the group, told the Jewish Chronicle: “Yesterday was a black day that constitutes a first step in undermining the status of the court.”

“But it is important for us to say that we do not give up, not on our country, not on the economy and not on the amazing industry that we built here over 30 years.”

In response, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir took to Twitter to slam the movement: “Your opinion will not be bought by the hundreds of millions spent by the foreign entities that finance the demonstrations, bought all the front pages of the newspapers this morning, and are running a campaign to destroy the country here from the best advertising and PR agencies.”

READ: The Israeli Knesset votes to pass 1st divisive judicial overhaul bill