Israelis protest new Netanyahu government
The New Arab Staff & Agencies
08 January, 2023
Israeli protestors gathered in front of The Knesset for a demonstration against a far-right government. They new government will be lead by Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israeli protesters demonstrate against Israel's new hard-right government.
Netanyahu, 73, who himself is fighting corruption charges in court, had already served as premier longer than anyone in Israeli history, leading the country from 1996-1999 and 2009-2021.
"My grandparents came to Israel to build here something amazing... We don't want to feel that our democracy is disappearing, that the Supreme Court will be destroyed," said a lawyer among the protesters who gave his name only as Assaf.
"Extremists are starting to deploy their forces and it's not the majority," said protester Omer, a worker in Tel Aviv's tech sector.
The new government has announced intentions to pursue a policy of settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank and carry out social reforms that have worried members and supporters of the LGBTQ community.
Israel's new justice minister this week announced a reform programme including a "derogation clause" allowing parliament to override decisions of the Supreme Court.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid denounced the reforms, saying on Twitter that it "endangers the entire legal system of the State of Israel".
The New Arab Staff & Agencies
08 January, 2023
Israeli protestors gathered in front of The Knesset for a demonstration against a far-right government. They new government will be lead by Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israeli protesters demonstrate against Israel's new hard-right government.
(Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)
Thousands of Israelis protested on Saturday against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new government, regarded as the most right-wing in Israeli history, an AFP correspondent said.
Protesters brandished signs with slogans including "Democracy in danger" and "Together against fascism and apartheid" in the coastal city of Tel Aviv.
Some waved Israeli and rainbow flags while others held a large banner reading "crime minister" -- a slogan widely used by Israelis during regular demonstrations against Netanyahu in past years.
Following his November 1 election win, Netanyahu took office late last month at the head of a coalition with extreme-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties, some of whose officials now head key ministries.
It includes a politician who late last year admitted tax evasion and a clutch of far-right personalities, including one who once kept a portrait in his home of a man who massacred scores of Palestinian worshippers.
Thousands of Israelis protested on Saturday against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new government, regarded as the most right-wing in Israeli history, an AFP correspondent said.
Protesters brandished signs with slogans including "Democracy in danger" and "Together against fascism and apartheid" in the coastal city of Tel Aviv.
Some waved Israeli and rainbow flags while others held a large banner reading "crime minister" -- a slogan widely used by Israelis during regular demonstrations against Netanyahu in past years.
Following his November 1 election win, Netanyahu took office late last month at the head of a coalition with extreme-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties, some of whose officials now head key ministries.
It includes a politician who late last year admitted tax evasion and a clutch of far-right personalities, including one who once kept a portrait in his home of a man who massacred scores of Palestinian worshippers.
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Netanyahu, 73, who himself is fighting corruption charges in court, had already served as premier longer than anyone in Israeli history, leading the country from 1996-1999 and 2009-2021.
"My grandparents came to Israel to build here something amazing... We don't want to feel that our democracy is disappearing, that the Supreme Court will be destroyed," said a lawyer among the protesters who gave his name only as Assaf.
"Extremists are starting to deploy their forces and it's not the majority," said protester Omer, a worker in Tel Aviv's tech sector.
The new government has announced intentions to pursue a policy of settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank and carry out social reforms that have worried members and supporters of the LGBTQ community.
Israel's new justice minister this week announced a reform programme including a "derogation clause" allowing parliament to override decisions of the Supreme Court.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid denounced the reforms, saying on Twitter that it "endangers the entire legal system of the State of Israel".
Thousands take to the streets of Tel Aviv to protest Netanyahu’s new government
A protester holds a Palestinian flag in Tel Aviv, Israel, at a demonstration against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right government, Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023
THOUSANDS of Israelis took to the streets on Saturday night to protest against plans by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s new government that critics say threaten democracy and freedoms.
The protesters gathered in Tel Aviv days after the most right-wing and religiously conservative government in Israel’s history was sworn in.
“The settler government is against me,” read one placard. Another banner read: “Housing, livelihood, hope.” Some protesters carried rainbow flags.
The protest was led by left-wing and Arab members of the Israeli parliament, the Knesset.
Protesters say proposed plans by the new cabinet will undermine the country’s judicial system and widen societal gaps.
Left-wing protesters slammed Justice Minister Yariv Levin, who on Wednesday unveiled the government’s long-promised overhaul of the judicial system, which aims to weaken the country’s Supreme Court.
Critics have accused the government of declaring war on the legal system, saying the plan will overturn Israel’s system of checks and balances and undermine its democratic institutions by giving absolute power to the new coalition government.
Danny Simon, a protester from Yavne, south of Tel Aviv, said: “We are really afraid that our country is going to lose our democracy and we are going to a dictatorship just for reasons of one person who wants to get rid of his law trial.”
Mr Simon was referring to Mr Netanyahu, who was indicted on corruption charges in 2021, allegations that he has denied.
Protesters also called for peace and co-existence between Jews and Arab residents of the country.
Rula Daood of Standing Together, a grassroots movement of Arabs and Jews, said: “We can see right now many laws being advocated for against LGBTQ, against Palestinians, against larger minorities in Israel.
“We are here to say loud and clear that all of us, Arabs and Jews and different various communities inside of Israel, demand peace, equality and justice,” she said.
Political analyst Akiva Eldar denounced the new government as racist.
He said: “As the former president of the Supreme Court, Aharon Barak said: this is a very shallow or formal democracy.”
Mr Netanyahu has already served longer than any other prime minister in Israeli history.
His new hardline right-wing government includes a politician who late last year admitted to tax evasion and one who kept a portrait in his home of a man who massacred dozens of Palestinian worshippers.
A protester holds a Palestinian flag in Tel Aviv, Israel, at a demonstration against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right government, Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023
THOUSANDS of Israelis took to the streets on Saturday night to protest against plans by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s new government that critics say threaten democracy and freedoms.
The protesters gathered in Tel Aviv days after the most right-wing and religiously conservative government in Israel’s history was sworn in.
“The settler government is against me,” read one placard. Another banner read: “Housing, livelihood, hope.” Some protesters carried rainbow flags.
The protest was led by left-wing and Arab members of the Israeli parliament, the Knesset.
Protesters say proposed plans by the new cabinet will undermine the country’s judicial system and widen societal gaps.
Left-wing protesters slammed Justice Minister Yariv Levin, who on Wednesday unveiled the government’s long-promised overhaul of the judicial system, which aims to weaken the country’s Supreme Court.
Critics have accused the government of declaring war on the legal system, saying the plan will overturn Israel’s system of checks and balances and undermine its democratic institutions by giving absolute power to the new coalition government.
Danny Simon, a protester from Yavne, south of Tel Aviv, said: “We are really afraid that our country is going to lose our democracy and we are going to a dictatorship just for reasons of one person who wants to get rid of his law trial.”
Mr Simon was referring to Mr Netanyahu, who was indicted on corruption charges in 2021, allegations that he has denied.
Protesters also called for peace and co-existence between Jews and Arab residents of the country.
Rula Daood of Standing Together, a grassroots movement of Arabs and Jews, said: “We can see right now many laws being advocated for against LGBTQ, against Palestinians, against larger minorities in Israel.
“We are here to say loud and clear that all of us, Arabs and Jews and different various communities inside of Israel, demand peace, equality and justice,” she said.
Political analyst Akiva Eldar denounced the new government as racist.
He said: “As the former president of the Supreme Court, Aharon Barak said: this is a very shallow or formal democracy.”
Mr Netanyahu has already served longer than any other prime minister in Israeli history.
His new hardline right-wing government includes a politician who late last year admitted to tax evasion and one who kept a portrait in his home of a man who massacred dozens of Palestinian worshippers.
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