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Tens of thousands of Israeli protesters rallied in Tel Aviv and near parliament in Jerusalem on Saturday, intensifying action against a controversial judicial reform bill that faces a final vote early next week.
The judicial revamp, proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hard-right government, has split the nation and sparked one of the biggest protest movements in Israel’s history.
In January, the government unveiled the plans to limit the Supreme Court’s powers as part of the package of reforms, which opponents view as a threat to democracy.
Lawmakers on Monday are set to hold a final vote over the key “reasonability” clause through which judges can strike down government decisions.
Other proposed reforms include giving the government a greater say in the appointment of judges.
Protests have drawn support from across political and social strata, including both the left and the right, secular and religious groups, peace activists and military reservists, as well as blue-collar and tech workers.
On Saturday protests were also held in Beersheva, Herzliya and Kfar Saba, according to footage distributed by organisers.
In Tel Aviv, the country’s commercial centre, tens of thousands rallied chanting pro-democracy slogans and beating drums their 29th consecutive weekly rally.
“Democracy or revolution! Respect existence or expect resistance!” chanted protesters, many wearing shirts with “Democracy” printed on them, an AFP correspondent reported.
“The government is not listening to us, it means it’s the beginning of a new era, a bad era,” protester Idit Dekel, 55, told AFP.
“For me it is catastrophic. It’s the beginning of something we have never experienced before,” added Dekel, a tech employee.
‘Extreme government’
On Saturday evening, thousands of protesters also entered Jerusalem and began gathering near parliament and the Supreme Court.
They had arrived in Jerusalem after a multi-day march that began in…
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