Thousands of Israelis demonstrated in Tel Aviv on Thursday evening against Parliament’s vote on a provision of the right-wing government’s controversial reform of the judicial system.
On Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition of far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties pushed through a clause in the bill limiting the Supreme Court’s ability to overturn a government decision.
Demonstrators waving blue and white Israeli flags gathered on Thursday evening in Tel Aviv - the epicentre of protests since the judicial reform bill was presented in January - to cries of “Democracy, Democracy.”
The reform, which aims to increase the power of elected representatives over that of the judiciary, divides the country and has triggered one of the biggest protest movements in Israel’s history.
The government believes it is necessary to ensure a better balance of power, but critics see it as a threat to democracy and fear it could pave the way for authoritarian drift.
The text voted on Monday is the first part of the reform to become law.
Demonstrations had followed the parliamentary vote late into the night on Monday and police had used water cannon to disperse the crowds. Organisers of the movement had announced further rallies later in the week.
Critics of Netanyahu , who is on trial for corruption, accuse the Israeli Prime Minister of wanting to use the reform to mitigate a possible judgment against him, which he denies.
