Protesters against judicial reforms in Tel Aviv: “Israel is not Hungary”

The protesters believe the sweeping changes will undermine judicial independence and threaten democracy. Israeli ministers say they will restore balance between the branches of government, while describing the protesters as anarchists. Footage from Tel Aviv showed several clashes as police dragged away protesters. Extreme right-wing National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said police were very patient and threw barriers and stones at them, altough footage from Tel Aviv showed several clashes as police dragged demonstrators away.

Netanyahu’s aim is to give the government more influence over the election of judges and to limit the Supreme Court’s ability to rule against the executive or annual legislation. Critics argue that this threatens the political system of checks and balances, as Israel has no constitution and only one parliamentary chamber, controlled by the ruling coalition, Telex summed up.

According to BBC’s article, many people waved the blue and white Israeli flag. Protests shouted the slogan “Israel is not a dictatorship, Israel is not Hungary”. The reason behind this is that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has been accused of undermining democratic institutions, including the judiciary. The demonstrators were implying that Israel, unlike Hungary, cannot allow its democratic institutions, including the judiciary, to be undermined.

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Protesters with concerns on the new judical reform

Some Israeli military units, intelligence officers and reservists are threatening to refuse to serve in the reserves in protest, because they are always happy to defend a democracy, but a dictatorship should not count on them. “It’s completely unusual,” one officer told the BBC. “We tend to remain impartial in these matters but it’s not a routine political debate. It’s a dramatic change. We are worried that our crucial principles of democracy will be completely ruined.”

Several of Israel’s foreign allies, including the United States, have expressed concern about the new legislation. “Slow down a little a bit, maybe bring people together, try and build some consensus,” US ambassador to Israel Tom Nides said.

Different sectors’ participants – workers in high tech, lawyers, bankers – have also expresed their concerns about the impact, including on the economy.

Opinion polls show that the government’s plan is not popular and most Israelis want a compromise. President Isaac Herzog has been pushing for dialogue between the government and the opposition, warning that the country is on the brink of “constitutional and social collapse”.

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