Not only the left, but also the establishment, including many former generals, oppose Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration.
For the fourth week running, thousands of Israelis protested in the streets on Saturday night against the impending “judicial reform,” also known as “regime change.”.
A significant change in Israeli culture can be seen in the fact that a large demonstration happened soon after two attacks in which Israelis were killed.
For years, a significant tragedy like the shooting on Friday night in which seven people died outside a structure used as a synagogue in the community of Neve Yaakov would halt any protest.
Israelis used to choose solidarity when faced with a choice between social division and solidarity during times of war or grief.
Solidarity in times of danger or sorrow was one of its most remarkable manifestations. Mandatory military service and lengthy reserve service play a crucial role in shaping society.
This sentiment has diminished due to years of cynical, self-serving leadership. The game has also changed as a result of the government’s brutal assault on half of its citizens in the form of judicial reforms.
The mass protest began just a few days after Yariv Levin, the newly elected justice minister for the Likud party, presented his plan. Almost all of the prosecutors and state attorneys who have worked in Israel for the past half century have warned that if parliament passes the plan, it will “destroy” judicial independence.
The plan has been openly promoted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is prohibited by rules regarding conflicts of interest from getting involved in legislative matters that could have an impact on his ongoing corruption trial.
By last Saturday night, the mass protest, which began with a few thousand people on the streets of Tel Aviv less than a month ago, had grown to an estimated 100,000 people.
It’s possible that the majority of them do not really comprehend the legal jargon or nuances. They are aware, however, that the newly elected government is attempting to transform their nation. simply because they desire to. simply because they can.
Different in Nature
Israel has experienced numerous political and social protests in its 75 years of existence. The political groups were divided along ideological lines: The social ones were based on how much money they had. Only a few have even come close to working.
This current wave of protests is different. The Sabra and Shatila massacre of 1982, the Oslo Accords, and a variety of other events led to subsequent ones, which were a reaction to a political or social development that occurred after the fact.
The current wave of protests is preventative and aims to halt not only the upcoming judicial reform but also to preserve what is left of the country and protect it from further attempts to undermine its democracy.
Government threats to shut down the public broadcaster and prevent the publication of “sensitive information” are now met with weekly mass rallies.
The governor of the Bank of Israel, who has stated that the planned judicial reforms would be detrimental to the economy, has issued warnings that Netanyahu has publicly ignored. This is heard by Israelis.
