Protests rock Peru weeks after president's ouster

Jan D. Walter | Viola Träder

DW
January 12, 2023

The police response to ongoing anti-government protests in Peru has left more than 40 people dead. The public prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into the new president, Dina Boluarte.

Anti-government protests erupted after Dina Boluarte was sworn in as Peru's president in early December. Now, just over a month after her inauguration, the police response to protests has led to the deaths of more than 40 people, with hundreds injured.

Boluarte, the former vice president, came to power when President Pedro Castillo, elected in June 2021, announced plans to dissolve Congress, but was then arrested on charges of attempting a coup. This, in turn, sparked broad unrest in the country. At least 17 people were killed, including a police officer, in Juliaca on Monday.

The public prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into Boluarte, Prime Minister Alberto Otarola and other Cabinet members on suspicion of crimes of genocide and aggravated homicide and bodily injuries. This is the second such investigation into Boluarte's actions because of protest-related deaths.

VIDEO: Peru unrest death toll rises to 49   01:59

Otarola said security forces had "maintained public order in this state of emergency." He also said the government was not acting in an authoritarian fashion and would not be blackmailed by violence.

'Security forces are acting inappropriately and disproportionately'

Johanna Pieper, a researcher at Hamburg's GIGA Institute for Latin American Studies, told DW that "security forces are not heeding the law."

Raul Tecco, of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Lima, offered a similar opinion. "Security forces are acting inappropriately and disproportionately," Tecco said. He blames officials for the conduct of the security forces. "A soldier will not open fire without backing from his superior," he said.

Wilson Quispe, a representative from Castillo's party, held up a sign on Tuesday in Congress that read 'Stop militarization'

Sebastian Castaneda/REUTERS

Robert Helbig, who heads the Konrad Adenauer Foundation's office in Peru, said the people responsible for the turmoil must be identified and brought to justice to prevent a climate of lawlessness.
Complicated political situation

Castillo had been a political outsider before he narrowly beat neoliberal rival Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of former autocratic President Alberto Fujimori, in 2021.

The response to the protests that erupted in December has claimed dozens of lives

Hugo Courotto/REUTERS

Castillo's victory was not necessarily the result of his socialist ideas — which some Peruvians associated with the Shining Path guerrilla movement — but rather his anti-establishment appeal. But this may also explain his difficulty in establishing a properly functioning government, which ultimately caused a rift between the presidency and parliament.

His successor, Boluarte, has not fared much better. After breaking with Castillo, she has struggled to gain the support of Peru's left-wing parties. And she certainly cannot expect any support from the right.

Restoring Peru's peace

Pieper of the GIGA Institute said calm would only be restored when Boluarte acknowledged some of her mistakes and engaged in dialogue with protesters. It would not help for Boluarte to step down, she said, as that put Jose Williams Zapata, the neoliberal president of the Congress of Peru, in charge, and he is even less popular.

Snap elections — the next polls aren't scheduled until April 2024 — are no option either, said Pieper. "The elections cannot be moved forward due to logistical and organizational reasons. Moreover, there is a danger that the same political options would be on the table as in 2021," he said.

Castillo's supporters from the Andes region have vehemently opposed his removal from office

 Hugo Courotto/REUTERS

Tecco, on the other hand, said if Congress were to succeed in establishing an interim government, fresh elections could be held within three months. This, however, would require great political determination.

Helbig said if politicians were to begin taking protesters' demands seriously and prioritizing the country's interests, Peru could soon be pacified. "Convincing political gestures by the executive and legislative are needed that show empathy and solidarity with those who have been killed in order to calm tensions," he said.

VIDEO: Tourists stranded amid Peru unrest leave Machu Picchu area  01:39

This article was translated from German.

How do we solve antibiotic resistance?

Fred Schwaller

DW
01/13/2023

Antibiotic resistance threatens to take us back to a time before penicillin when the majority of deaths were caused by infections. What are we doing to solve the crisis?

Since antibiotics were introduced to the world in the mid-20th century, deaths attributable to infections dropped from over 50% to 10-15%. Experts have been warning for decades that the threat of antibiotic resistance could take us back in time to when even simple infections were deadly.

But how serious is the issue really?

A study in 2019 found more than 1 million peoplea year died from infections linked to microbes that are resistant to antibiotics — more than those who died due to malaria or with HIV/AIDS.

Experts describe antibiotic resistance as one of the greatest challenges facing humanity. They predict that if the problem remains unsolved, 10 million people could die as a result by 2050.

"Antibiotic resistance will remain a problem for the foreseeable future," said Paul Blainey, a biological engineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "Maintaining modern medicine and standards of health in the way we know them today will depend on the development of new antibiotic drugs."

Illustration of Legionella pneumophila bacteria, the cause of Legionnaires disease. Pneumophila bacteria have high levels of resistance to antibiotics.

Science Photo Library/IMAGO

What causes antibiotic resistance?

Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria evolve to evade antibiotics. Overuse and misuse of antibiotics are the biggest drivers of resistance. That means that the more we use antibiotics, the worse the problem of antibiotic resistance becomes.

Antibiotics work by binding to a specific target protein on a bacteria, then entering to kill it from the inside. Penicillin, for example, weakens the bacterial cell wall, causing the cell to disintegrate.

The most common ways bacteria evade antibiotics come from mutations that allow them to stop drugs from binding to bacteria. It's like the bacteria changed the locks so the antibiotic key no longer opens the cell door.

"Bacteria can also achieve resistance by producing proteins that inactivate or modify the antibiotic, so it no longer binds to the bacteria. Or the target protein is mutated so the antibiotic can no longer bind to it," said Gerry Wright, a biochemist who specializes in antibiotic resistance.

But worst of all is when bacteria evolve many of these mechanisms in backup, so even if you overcome one, other resistances might fill the gap.
Solving the problem of antibiotic resistance

Antibiotic resistance will always be with us. It's the nature of evolution by natural selection that means bacteria will always find ways to evade antibiotics.

But experts are optimistic we can find ways to limit antibiotic resistance in the next decades, at least enough to stop the issue from spiraling into a bigger crisis.

"I'm hopeful we can overcome the concerns about antibiotic resistance. Scientists in the field are dedicated to solving these big problems and preserving our ability to control infectious diseases that is so important to our quality of life," said Wright.

Unfortunately, it isn't as simple as developing a drug that will permanently overcome antibiotic resistance. It's incredibly complex science, even more so than finding a vaccine for a virus such as COVID-19. For one, there's huge diversity among bacteria — not all drugs work on a given organism, and not all organisms are killed by a given drug.

Option 1: Modify existing antibiotics

Scientists have been working on the issue from many different angles. One approach is to modify old antibiotics so they overcome resistance.

"Penicillin and cephalosporin antibiotics have undergone many rounds of modifications by medicinal chemists to improve their drug-like properties and overcome resistance," said Wright.

But Wright explained that the ability to tinker with these structures is not infinite. It's more of a delaying tactic than fundamentally fixing the core issue of antibiotic resistance.

"At some point, there are diminishing returns in that new compounds either have poor drug-like properties or toxicities that make them unsuitable," he said.

Toxicity is the ability of a substance to have a poisonous effect and either cause harm or death.

Option 2: Develop new antibiotics

Another strategy is to make brand-new drugs, but this approach hasn't been very successful in recent decades.

"The reality is that the last genuinely new chemical structure that has resulted in a drug that is currently being used in humans was discovered in the mid-1980s," Wright said.

But there are some signs of progress. For one, scientists are now armed with much more sophisticated drug discovery technologies, not least artificial intelligence (AI).

"Examples of scientific innovations include computational machine learning approaches to screen drugs in silico, and methods to screen many different combinations of compounds for antibiotic effects," said Blainey.

"In silico" refers to experiments performed via computer simulation.

These new innovations are helping scientists overcome older challenges in drug discovery. The hope is that antibiotic-resistant drugs can be pushed through drug development pipelines quickly enough for them to make an impact in global health care.

But central to the issue is that antibiotic resistance develops quickly whereas antimicrobials — the basis of antibiotic drugs — are developed slowly. Scientists hear the clock ever ticking.

Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria shown here are responsible for causing Lyme disease. These bacteria are yet to develop resistance to antibiotics.

Callista Images/imago images

Global fight against antibiotic resistance lacking

As with the race for COVID-19 vaccines, overcoming antibiotic resistance will require tremendous international effort dedicated to the problem. But that's exactly what's missing.

"What makes the resistance challenge so acute in 2023 is that there is no longer a well-organized, well-funded, and functioning pipeline of new drug candidates, yet resistance continues to emerge," said Wright.

Reports indicate there were 43 antibiotics in clinical trials or pending approval in December 2020. For comparison, over 1,300 anticancer agents were at similar stages of development.

Blainey said that many of the issues here came from the commercialization of drug development.

"Sadly, some large companies have given up their antibiotics programs based around commercial considerations and several small companies developing new antibiotics have failed financially before their candidates reached the clinic. We really need more investment in all antibiotic discovery strategies," he told DW.

Buying time with antibiotic regulation

In the short term, some experts want more regulation of antibiotics so their use is limited to situations when they are strictly necessary. The hope is this will buy us some time to slow down antibiotic resistance while drug discovery catches up.

Antibiotics are not well regulated in many parts of the world. For example, antibiotics were "flying off the shelves" during the COVID-19 pandemic in India, where people can buy them over the counter in pharmacies.

Limiting the use of antibiotics in agriculture would also have a major impact, experts say.

The EU and US have banned the use of antibiotics for livestock growth, and in 2022, the EU brought in legislation to prohibit all forms of routine antibiotic use in farming.

Edited by: Zulfikar Abbany

Hundreds of Tunisians join street protests over economic crisis

Issued on: 14/01/2023 - DW

01:35 Tunisian demonstrators carry national flags during a protest against their president in central Tunis on January 14, 2023. © Fethi Belaid, AFP

Hundreds of Tunisians marched Saturday after opponents of President Kais Saied called for protests over a worsening economic crisis.

"The people want what you don't want. Down with Saied," chanted the activists, including supporters of the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party.

Ennahdha had dominated parliament until Saied launched a dramatic power grab on July 25, 2021, sacking the government and freezing parliament before appointing a new cabinet and ruling by decree.

"The coup has brought us famine and poverty. Yesterday the grocer gave me just one kilo of macaroni and a can of milk," said Nouha, a woman at one protest.

"How can I feed my family of 13 people with that?" the 50-year-old housewife lamented.

Saturday's protests were staged in the capital Tunis by two different opposition groups and were held far apart with a heavy police presence to avoid any unrest.

They were held against a backdrop of deepening political divisions on the 12th anniversary of the fall of dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

The biggest opposition force, the National Salvation Front (FSN) which includes Ennahdha, was kept about one kilometre from left-wing party activists gathered in front of the municipal theatre.

Another march attended by hundreds of people was led by Abir Moussi of the anti-Islamist opposition Free Destourian Party, in the south of Carthage, where the presidential palace is located.

Tunisians who largely supported Saied's takeover have become increasingly fed up with the economic crisis.

The state, which is heavily in debt, has found it difficult to import basic goods, and there are chronic shortages of staples such as coffee, milk and sugar.

(AFP) 

Tunisia: Opposition rallies mark 12-year protest anniversary

Protesters from opposition groups called on the president to step down. President Saied's 2021 power grab has sounded the alarm in what was seen as the Arab Spring's only democracy.

Thousands of Tunisians who oppose sitting President Kais Saied voiced their frustration with his rule on Saturday as they took to the central streets of the capital to mark the 12th anniversary of the country's uprising that launched the Arab Spring revolutions.

Protests against the autocratic regime of former President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali were crowned on January 14, 2011, by his ouster, as he fled the country on the same day and ushered in a new era.

The protests sparked a wave of similar movements in the Arab World. But for years, Tunisia seemed to be the only country that enjoyed a democratic system since the Arab Spring.



However, in July 2021, law professor-turned-President Kais Saied suspended the constitution and parliament, casting aside the Islamist Ennahda party and paving the way for a new constitution that expanded the powers of the president at the expense of parliament.

VIDEO Tunisia analyst Mariam Salehi speaks to DW 04:21

Who joined the anniversary protests?

Saturday's protests were mainly organized by the country's biggest opposition movement, the National Salvation Front (FSN). The group's main component is the Islamist Ennahda party, which is considered Saied's nemesis.

Protests were primarily centered in the Habib Bourguiba Avenue in central Tunis. Protesters waved the country's flag and revived 2011 chants, including: "down with Saeid," and "the people demand the fall of the regime."

"Tunisia is going through the most dangerous time in its history. Saied took control of all authority and struck at democracy. The economy is collapsing. We will not be silent," Reuters cited one protester, 34-year-old Said Anouar Ali, as saying.

In a statement carried by the state news agency TAP on Friday, the Tunisian Interior Ministry said it had greenlighted protests in the Habib Bourguiba Avenue. It called on protesters to steer clear of confrontations with security forces.

The Interior Ministry had called on protesters to avoid clashing with security forces

Image: Yassine Mahjoub/NurPhoto/picture alliance

Another march was separately organized by the Free Destourian party, another Saied staunch opponent, but one aligned with the pre-2011 regime and equally opposed to Ennahda. Hundreds of protesters joined party leader Abir Moussi in downtown Tunis after being banned from marching to the presidential palace in Carthage.

Moussi called for Saied's resignation while addressing the crowd, blaming the president and his administration for the economic crisis.

What is happening to Tunisia's economy?

Some of those who had initially supported Saied's moves in 2021 have today turned against him, as biting shortages affect different households.

The democratic reforms the country witnessed during the decade following the uprising were coupled with a hit to its economy.

The economy continued to deteriorate after 2021, with inflation passing the 10% mark in December 2022, and poverty affecting some 20% of the country's 12 million people.

Tunisian residents have also been suffering from shortages of staple items such as sugar, milk and oil.

Some staple items have disappeared from supermarket shelves in Tunisia

Chedly Ben Ibrahim/NurPhoto/picture alliance

"The coup has brought us famine and poverty. Yesterday the grocer gave me just one kilo of macaroni and a can of milk," Nouha, a woman at the Habib Bourguiba protest, told the French AFP news agency on Saturday.

Unemployment has also exceeded 15%, in a country where most job opportunities are still offered by the state. Protesters also chanted for "work" or job opportunities on Saturday.

The government of Saied has been scrambling to secure a $1.9 billion (€1.75 billion) loan from the International Monetary Fund.

However, IMF demands to lift food and energy subsidies and restructure public firms have stood in the way of securing the funds since the politically sensitive prerequisites could further slump Saied's popularity and stir further opposition against his government.

rmt/sms (AFP, Reuters)

MINING IS NOT GREEN

Rare earths find in Sweden: A gamechanger?

Arthur Sullivan

DW
January 13, 2023

A big find of raw materials critical for green technology has been announced in Sweden. Since Europe does not produce its own so-called 'rare earths' so far could this news be a gamechanger?

The Swedish state-owned mining company LKAB announced on Thursday that it had found more than a million tons of rare earth oxides in Kiruna, northern Sweden.

Rare earth elements, also known as rare earth metals or rare earth oxides, are a set of 17 heavy metals which have a wide range of commercial and industrial uses. They are of particular importance for the green transition, as they are needed for the production of wind turbines and electric vehicles.

However, the EU is heavily dependent on importing them or the compounds they are needed for.

Jan Moström, CEO of LKAB, said in a statement that the find was good news for "Europe and the climate", adding "it could become a significant building block for producing the critical raw materials that are absolutely crucial to enable the green transition."

Experts say the size of the find still needs to be verified but the estimate from the company of 1 million tons would make it the largest of its kind in Europe.
Is this a big surprise?

Not really. The deposit, dubbed Per Geijer, is located in the Swedish portion of the Arctic Circle, which has been known to be rich in rare earth minerals for several decades. LKAB already runs the largest iron ore mine in Europe and their exploration for rare earths in Kiruna has been widely publicized.

LKAB already controls Europe's largest iron ore mine

Image: Jonas Ekstremer/TT/picture alliance

How rare are rare earths and who has them all?

Despite the name, rare earths are plentiful in many parts of the world but mining and extracting them is extremely complex and costly. It can also be very damaging to the environment.

China has by far the largest amount of rare earth reserves of any country in the world, followed by Vietnam, Brazil and Russia. However, in terms of refining and processing rare earths, China is further ahead: according to data from the US Geological Survey, it accounted for more than 60% of all rare earths production as of January 2022, followed by the US (16%), Myanmar (9%) and Australia (8%).

In Europe, there are heavy regulatory barriers to the mining and production of critical raw materials and it does not currently mine raw earths. As a result, the EU is heavily dependent on China and other countries for them.

That has become a major political issue given how the EU wants to both end trade dependencies on China and Russia and boost its own green technologies to achieve its climate goals. The $369-billion (€340-billion) Inflation Reduction Act in the US, which gives massive subsidies to green technologies, has also ramped up the pressure on the EU.


So how significant could this find be for Europe?

"Superlative claims abound whenever a new rare earth deposit is announced, so it is important to look at the data," Julie Klinger, a professor of geography at the University of Delaware, told DW.

"If you take a look back at the headlines concerning rare earth deposits in Greenland, North Korea, Afghanistan, Turkey, the ocean floor, the Moon: all are claimed to be the largest or one of the largest," she added, stressing the need for the find to be verified.

Nabeel Mancheri, secretary-general of the Global Rare Earth Industry Association, says a lot more work is needed to determine the quality of the deposit.

"Economically speaking, these are not 'reserves' yet. You still need a lot of drilling, a lot of testing, and you don't have the full information about what quality the ore grade is yet," he told DW.

Klinger says the find could potentially end up being an alternative source for Europe's rare earth needs, but said it would take between 10 and 15 years to develop a mine, which is in line with the company's own estimates.

VIDEO: Made in Germany - The race for critical raw materials   26:01

"This is not just because of the permitting, although that is often blamed. It is a monumental construction and engineering feat to open a new mine," she said.
What needs to happen now?

In order for LKAB to exploit the discovery, they would need to drive a change in how the EU approaches the issue of mining for such raw materials.

"The EU has long since discarded mining as something that 'we don't want to be in our backyard,'" said Mancheri.

LKAB CEO Moström says he hopes the stringent permitting processes for mining within the EU can be sped up in order for the company to bring finished materials more quickly to market. "If we really want to pursue the green transition we must find ways to speed up this process quite substantially," he said at a press conference.

The European Commission is currently working on lowering the barriers to the mining and production of critical raw materials for the green transition.

However, Mancheri says establishing a mining industry is still only half the job. "Once you have the mining, you also need to establish the processing industry," he said, referring to the complex and hugely energy intensive processes of isolating and refining rare earths.

Will the rare earths only be used for the green transition?

Experts say this is a critical question, as rare earths are also used in many polluting industries.

"Although most of the press releases emphasize the importance of rare earth elements for renewable energy technologies, rare earth elements are also important for petroleum refining and are important for military-industrial applications," said Klinger.

"There is currently no policy in place, in the EU or elsewhere, that protects materials mined in the name of climate change from capture by other, less climate-friendly sectors. Even the Swedish state-owned LKAB, or any other mining company for that matter, is not required to sell its output to firms in the renewable energy technologies sector."

She says that if mining firms such as LKAB are to demand that the permit process is sped up for them in the name of fighting climate change, there must be EU rules which prevent the output going to non-green sectors.

Edited by: Uwe Hessler


Critical raw materials: Toxic, rare and irreplaceable
Thirty rare elements have been identified as critical for the future of industry. Some of them have a colorful history.

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Image: John Cancalosi/Nature Picture Library/imago images

Antimony: The pharaoh's eyeliner

Antimony is a gray metalloid, which is often used to harden other metals. The origin of its name is disputed. One speculation claims it derives from "anti" and "monos," which collectively mean "a metal not found alone". Antimony often occurs as a compound. In ancient Egypt and ancient India, it was powdered and used as medicine or compressed into sticks for use as cosmetics — especially eyeliner.

Image: V. Voennyy/Panthermedia/imago images

Baryte: The 'heavy' crystal

Baryte, which means "heavy" in Greek, is a barium sulfate, commonly found in lead-zinc veins in limestone. Its crystals, which often grow in sand and contain grains of sand within their structure, form into clusters known as baryte roses. Baryte can be clear, or can shimmer in hues of yellow, red, green or pale blue.

Wisconsin Republicans block ‘conversion therapy’ ban

By HARM VENHUIZEN

January 12, 2023

State Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, looks on during a hearing at the state Capitol in Madison, Wis., on Feb. 24, 2015. Wisconsin Republicans planned to vote Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023, to again allow therapists, social workers and counselors to try to change their LGBTQ clients’ gender identities and sexual orientations, a practice known as conversion therapy. (Amber Arnold/Wisconsin State Journal via AP, File)

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Republicans voted Thursday to again allow therapists, social workers and counselors to try to change LGBTQ clients’ gender identities and sexual orientations — a discredited practice known as conversion therapy.

A ban on conversion therapy was passed in 2020 by a state board within the Democratic governor’s administration overseeing licensing for mental health professionals. But a committee in the Republican-controlled Legislature temporarily blocked the ban then and did so again Thursday, with all six Republican members voting to block it and the four Democrats voting to keep it in place.

LGBTQ rights advocates have decried the scientifically discredited practice of trying to “convert” LGBTQ people to heterosexuality and traditional gender expectations as harmful, citing research suggesting the practice can increase the risk of suicide and depression.

At least 20 states and the District of Columbia have outlawed conversion therapy for minors, according to the Movement Advancement Project, a pro-LGBTQ rights think tank. Wisconsin is not one of them.

An examining board in the Department of Safety and Public Standards developed the rule banning conversion therapy, drawing objections from Republican lawmakers who introduced a bill in January 2021 to strike it down. Lawmakers placed that bill in committee for the remainder of the 2021-22 session, avoiding a veto from Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and temporarily suspending the ban.

Evers, who signed an executive order in 2021 prohibiting the use of taxpayer money to fund youth conversion therapy, would almost have certainly vetoed the bill if it passed.

The ban was reinstated after lawmakers failed to permanently block it by the end of the last legislative session. It has been back in effect since Dec. 1, after Evers won reelection.

Mike Mikalsen, chief of staff for rules committee co-chair state Sen. Steve Nass, reiterated the committee’s reasoning for suspending the ban in 2021, telling The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday that the licensing board had no authority under state law for the reinstatement.

“It’s not about the policy itself,” Mikalsen said.

Democrats disagree. State Sen. Kelda Roys, who sits on the rules committee, said Republicans’ decision to intervene was “wildly out of step” with the norms for setting professional standards.

“It’s disappointing that the very first move the GOP is going to make this legislative session is to green-light abusive practices against children,” Roys said.

LGBTQ rights have taken center stage in statehouses across the country since the year began. Republican lawmakers in at least 11 states have already introduced legislation to restrict access to transgender health care. Conservatives also have pushed to restrict conversations about sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools.

State Rep. Adam Neylon, the committee’s other co-chair, began a public hearing ahead of the vote by accusing the DSPS examining board of overstepping its bounds and crafting public policy by barring conversion therapy. He said that’s all that’s at issue, not whether conversion therapy is morally or ethically right or wrong.

Marc Herstand, executive director of the Wisconsin chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, told the committee that the board clearly has the authority to ban conversion therapy because it equates to unprofessional conduct that can drive patients to suicide.

“(The ban on conversion therapy) is necessary to protect the mental health of children in our state,” Herstand said.

Roys told the committee that lawmakers should leave the entire issue alone because none of them are social workers or therapists.

“The Legislature is not competent to decide what is professional conduct in a regulated industry,” Roys said.

Julianne Appling, president of the conservative group Wisconsin Family Action, told the committee that banning conversion therapy infringes on counselors, social workers and therapists’ free speech rights. The state, she said, should not be allowed to threaten their careers for exercising freedom of speech, freedom of conscience and freedom of religion.

Matthew Lehner, a 19-year-old student at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, told the committee that he’s a member of the LGBTQ community and he’s disgusted that lawmakers are even thinking about allowing conversion therapy, calling it torture and a violation of human rights.

“I am outraged and sick to my stomach that a proposal such as this would even be considered in the year 2023,” Lehner said. “However, given how the Republican majority has waged war on bodily autonomy, climate science, and queer people over their years of gerrymandered reign, it doesn’t surprise me in the slightest.”

___

Associated Press writer Todd Richmond contributed to this report. Harm Venhuizen is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Venhuizen on Twitter.

Lützerath: Protesters, police clash near German coal mine

Police clashed with protesters following a dayslong standoff over the demolition of the western German village. Greta Thunberg joined activists in a major demonstration at the site.

German police clashed with climate activists at the village of Lützerath on Saturday, as the standoff between authorities and activists dragged on for a fourth day.

Police had been working to clear activists from the site to make way for the demolition of the village.

Lisa Neubauer of the Fridays for Future organization told the German Press Agency that police had used pepper spray on activists in isolated incidents.

Police called on demonstrators to leave the area, or face the possibility of officers deploying water cannons and using physical force.

Earlier on Saturday, regional police said that barriers had been broken and urged people to leave the area.

"The police barriers have been broken. To the people in front of Lützerath: get out of this area immediately," police said.

"Some people have entered the mine. Move away from the danger zone immediately!"

Thousands of climate protesters descend on German coal town

VIDEO 02:27 Greta Thunberg joins protesters

Activists and protesters began assembling for a major demonstration at noon, with a standoff between authorities and activists in attendance.

"This is a betrayal of present and future generations... Germany is one of the biggest polluters in the world and needs to be held accountable," Thunberg said on a podium at the protest.

"The coal that is in the ground here will not lower prices immediately. Anyone who thinks like that is simply out of touch with reality," she said.

Around 10,000 protesters participated in the demonstration, according to a police estimate. Protest organizers put the number of participants at 35,000.

In nearby Keyenberg, thousands also protested against plans by RWE to mine the site for coal.

What do we know about the clearance of Lützerath?

Police said most of the western German village has been cleared of activists "above ground," a spokesperson said on Saturday morning. But several are still occupying 15 structures, both underground and in treehouses.

Some 470 people have been removed from the site, with 320 having done so voluntarily, according to the police.

The demolition of the village of Lützerath is part of a compromise deal the German government struck to push the country's planned coal power phase-out up by eight years to 2030.

As part of the deal, RWE was allowed to expand its vast Garzweiler II open-cast mine into Lützerath, which would unearth some 280 million tons of coal.

Greta Thunberg urged Germans to support environmental activists in opposing the clearing of the village

 Oliver Berg/picture alliance/dpa

Thunberg blasts German green party

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg arrived in Germany on Friday and joined activists on the site. She criticized the German Green Party for its support of Lützerath's demolition.

The Green Party is part of the German federal governing coalition, along with the Social Democrats and the Free Democrats, but it is also in a coalition on the state level in North-Rhine Westphalia, the state where Lützerath is located.

Greens member and German Economy Minister Robert Habeck defended the village's demolition, arguing that the coal underneath is needed to maintain energy security in the current crisis brought on by the Russian war in Ukraine.

Making deals with fossil fuel corporations like RWE "show where their priorities are," Thunberg told dpa in an interview.

"The coal that is in the ground here will not lower prices immediately. Anyone who thinks like that is simply out of touch with reality," Thunberg said in response.

jcg,sdi/sms (AFP, dpa, AP)

Greta Thunberg joins German 

anti-coal protesters

Sat, January 14, 2023 

STORY: Climate activist Greta Thunberg and an estimated 6,000 people marched through mud and rain on Saturday to protest against the expansion of an opencast lignite mine near Luetzerath in Germany.

"The carbon is still in the ground. We are still here. Luetzerath is still there. And as long as the carbon is in the ground, this struggle is not over."

Earlier this week, police cleared protesters from buildings in the North Rhine-Westphalia state village after a court decision allowed energy giant RWE to go ahead with the expansion.

Demonstrators had been occupying them for about two years.

RWE and the government had struck a deal to raze the village in exchange for the company’s faster exit from coal as well as saving other villages originally slated for destruction.

"The fact that all of you are here is a sign of hope. This is only a part of a much larger global climate movement, a movement for climate and social justice and racial justice. Luetzerath...What happens in Luetzerath doesn't stay in Luetzerath. Germany as one of the biggest polluters in the world has an enormous responsibility."

On Saturday, only a few people remained camping out in treehouses and an underground tunnel, but thousands turned up to protest against the mine, which activists say symbolizes Berlin's failing climate policy.

Regional police said on Twitter they had used force to stop people from breaking through barriers and nearing the danger zone at the edge of the excavation area.

"You are showing clearly today that the changes will not come from the people in power, from governments, from corporations, from the so-called leaders. No, the real leaders are here. It is the people who are sitting in tree houses and those who have been defending Luetzerath for example for years now."

The state president said on German radio that energy politics were "not always pretty" but that the coal was needed more than ever in light of the energy crisis confronting Europe's biggest economy.

Greta Thunberg decries eviction of German coal camp

01/13/2023January 13, 2023

The climate activist gave her backing to protesters ousted from a nearby huge coal mine that is due for expansion. Germany's reliance on fossil fuels remains a divisive issue amid the energy crisis.

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg on Friday denounced the court-approved, police clearance of an anti-coal protest camp in western Germany as "outrageous."

Officers moved in this week to evict hundreds of demonstrators from the abandoned village of Lützerath, which sits next door to a vast lignite mine due for expansion.

The camp has taken center stage in a longstanding row between climate activists and the government over the country's heavy reliance on coal for electricity.

What did Thunberg say?

During a visit to Lützerath, in the western state of North-Rhine Westphalia, the 20-year-old Thunberg said it was "horrible to see what's happening here."

"We expect to show what people power looks like, what democracy looks like. When governments and corporations are acting like this, destroying the environment, putting countless people at risk, the people step up," she added.

The climate activist also referred to "outrageous ... police violence" occurring at the site.

Thunberg met with protesters and also toured the mine's crater, holding up a sign that read, "Keep it in the ground."

Thunberg is expected to join a protest on Saturday in Lützerath's neighboring town of Keyenberg, alongside German climate activist Luisa Neubauer.

Police said they expect 6,000 to 7,000 participants.

On Friday, a court said the planned protest could proceed, but without the use of 10 tractors that the activists had organized.

What happened during the eviction?

After a court order, police began clearing village buildings of protesters on Wednesday and Thursday.

More than 1,000 officers moved in with bulldozers and ordered many activists, perched on roofs and walls, to come down.

Some activists threw stones, bottles and firecrackers, though the demonstrations were largely peaceful.

By Friday evening, police said they had cleared occupying protesters from the last building in the village, which is now the property of energy giant and Garzweiler coal mine operator RWE.

Some protesters have complained of undue force by police, as officers were brought in from across the country and water cannons were placed on standby. Similarly, police and politicians had complained of isolated incidents of violence against law enforcement at the site, particularly last Sunday.

DPA news agency reported that several climate activists have yet to be evicted

Image: Henning Kaiser/dpa/picture alliance

By Friday, two climate activists were holding out in a tunnel about 4 meters (13 feet) under the village and would chain themselves up if any attempt was made to evict them, the spokesperson for Lützerath Lebt (Lützerath Lives) activist group said.

Regional police chief Dirk Weinspach said he would bring in specialized teams to remove them.

Several tree houses still needed to be cleared, officials said.

Also on Friday, activists protested in front of the RWE headquarters in the western city of Essen, with some chaining themselves to the entry gate.

A symbol of Germany's coal dilemma  01:14

What are the plans for Lützerath?

The government last year agreed on a compromise to bring forward a planned coal power phase-out in the nearby mine by eight years, to 2030.

As part of the deal, RWE is allowed to expand its vast Garzweiler II open-cast mine into Lützerath, which will give it access to about 280 million tons of coal.

The need to retain coal mining for electricity production has become a priority during the energy crisis.

As Germany has cut its reliance on Russian gas due to the Ukraine war, it has temporarily extended the life of some coal and nuclear power plants to steer itself through the crisis.

Germany still generates about 30% of its electricity from coal under normal circumstances and in the third quarter of 2022 (the most recent available figures), when gas prices were at their highest and as Germany was also trying to compensate for the nuclear plants it had shut down at the end of 2021, that figure rose to 36.3%.

But environmentalists say the move will increase Germany's greenhouse gas emissions.

The dilemma is not lost on most Germans, 59% of whom are against the expansion of lignite mining areas, while 60% also think the temporary use of coal-fired power plants is the right thing to do.

mm/msh (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)

Lützerath coal village: Pictures of an eviction – DW –1/9

 01/12/2023

Suspected Russian accounts 'attack' Banksy Ukraine sale

Banksy confirmed he was behind seven murals that appeared on destroyed buildings around Kyiv last year © Genya SAVILOV / AFP

Issued on: 10/01/2023 -

London (AFP) – Thousands of "hostile" web attacks launched from Russian IP addresses have targeted an online auction of prints by British graffiti artist Banksy in aid of Ukraine, the charity Legacy of War Foundation said Tuesday.

The elusive street artist is selling 50 new limited edition screen-prints through the charity to raise funds to support Ukrainian civilians affected by conflict.

To get one of the £5,000 ($6,080) prints, which show a mouse sliding down the side of a box with "FRAGILE" printed on it, supporters have to register online with the charity.

But a message posted on its website said it had "received over 1 million requests (and 3,500 hostile attacks from Russian IP addresses), so we would appreciate your patience at this time".

"We are currently sifting through the registered entries and will notify successful applicants shortly," it added.

Banksy previously said he supported the charity as he had seen one of its teams "sweep in and provide medical attention, heaters, fresh water and a friendly face to some very desperate people in a bombed-out building".

The artist confirmed he was behind seven murals that appeared on destroyed buildings around Kyiv last year.

IMPERIALI$M

UK planned over 40 coup bids, including bid to overthrow Abdel Nasser

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Declassified UK
14 Jan 20:44

These 'third-world' nationalist forces were identified by the UK as an extension of the 'Soviet threat', as well as an occurrence of Cold War dynamics that needed to be reverted.

In this June 18, 1956 file photo, Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser waves as he moves through Port Said, Egypt, during a ceremony in which Egypt formally took over control of the Suez Canal from Britain (AP Photo, File)

A recent report published by Declassified UK details a somewhat exhaustive timeline of the UK's involvement in plotting coups across the world, both overt and covert, and in most cases conducted with the collaboration of the CIA to depose or assassinate democratically elected leaders.

The report counts a total of 47 coups put into action in 27 different countries since 1945, but the numbers could her higher.

The point in doing so is obvious: as a former colonial empire, the UK is structurally and historically pre-disposed to impede all signs of democratic and socioeconomic developments across the Global South.

After WWII, the Soviet Union supported the massive wave of anti-colonial wars to gain national independance.

These 'third-world' nationalist forces were identified by the UK as an extension of the Soviet threat, as well as an occurrence of Cold War dynamics that needed to be reverted.

Some of the most prominent coups orchestrated against leaders include the overthrow of democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh in Iran in 1953.

They also include the assassination of the former Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Patrice Lumumba who was killed in the most tragic way one could possibly think of.

But the UK did not always succeed in effecting a regime change, as it did in Iran, Egypt, Indonesia, and so many African countries.

For instance, in the 1950s, the British regime tried to draw two consecutive uprisings against the government in Syria - the first in 1956 and the second in 1957 - which were both unsuccessful.

Read more: Kanaani: West failed to effect regime change in Iran

Another covert operation that foiled was one conducted in 1957 against Indonesia's Sukarno, the leader of the Indonesian struggle for independence from the Dutch colonialists who propelled Indonesia out of morbid poverty.

Sukarno was ousted a decade later in what appeared to "one of the 20th century’s worst bloodbaths" with the purge of communists and socialists by the Indonesian military under Suharto - an event which was later revealed to have been backed by the UK in 1965-1966.

Other countries which have been targeted during the 1950s and 1960s include Brazil, British Guiana, Egypt, and several countries in the Gulf region.

One leader took about four decades for the UK to take down, namely Muammar Gaddafi, who nationalized British oil operators as soon as he seized power in 1969.

After several failed attempts to kill the strongman leader, the UK finally managed to rid of him in 2011 with the assistance of NATO.

Other leaders that were targeted for assassination include Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic in 1992, Ugandan President Milton Obote in 1969, and his successor Idi Amin in the late 1970s.

The list also includes countries of the former Soviet Union, namely Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

It further includes Italy because the Communist Party "looked as if it might win or influence the next government," the report states.

The most recent coup attempts include failed attempts to depose Syrian President Bashar el-Assad during the Arab Spring, as well as several attempts to depose leaders in Latin American countries, namely lithium-rich Bolivia and oil-rich Venezuela.

Venezuela recently joined the ranks of failed coups after Juan Guaido was ousted and his government dissolved.

The report is relevant to the modern context because the West has recently tried to push for regime change in Iran and Peru.

In the case of Peru, former President Pedro Castillo had charges fabricated against him to justify his impeachment and imprisonment.

All-in-all, the UK's habitus of conducting coups across the Global South is always motivated by strategic interests. These include a wide range of interests but almost always concern the privatization of oil resources.

In the case where no oil is involved, the UK intervenes to simply ward off the presence of progressive ideologies that strengthen the people against the will of the West.

Israel: Tens of thousands protest government in Tel Aviv

Around 80,000 protesters take to the streets despite wet and rainy conditions to protest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ultra-right government

Israeli protesters attend a rally against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new hard-right government in the coastal city of Tel Aviv on 14 January (Reuters)

By MEE staff
Published date: 14 January 2023 

Tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets in central Tel Aviv on Saturday to protest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new far-right coalition government.

Police in Tel Aviv said around 80,000 protesters had gathered at and around Habima square. Protests were also taking place in Jerusalem, Haifa and other cities, as centre and left-wing parties, including the Hadash-Taal alliance - a joint list of two Arab-majority political parties - called on Israelis to reject new government policies.

Israel's judicial reforms will 'destroy' legal independence say top officialsRead More »

The demonstrations were organised under the call of "saving democracy", in criticism of some hardline stances the ultra-conservative government has adopted, including planned reforms to the country's justice system.

A main concern of opposition groups is a recently-proposed reform that would allow parliament to override decisions made by the Supreme Court. Analysts have warned that such a programme could potentially allow lawmakers to uphold any annulment of the corruption charges Netanyahu is being tried on.

An open letter published on Thursday by 11 former prosecutors said the reforms threaten to destroy Israel's judiciary.

Retired Supreme Court President Ayala Procaccia addressed those on the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday, warning that "a country in which judges go out to protest is a country where all lines were crossed", Haaretz reported.

'Fascists in the Knesset'

Itai Niger, a 37-year-old from Tel Aviv, told Middle East Eye that he had attended the protest because he hoped to help send a message against "the regime and fascism".

'This government is really dangerous and has the potential to change things 

for the worse' - Itai Niger, 37, protester

"I can’t stay at home and do nothing anymore," Niger said. "I decided to take part against what is happening now because this government is really dangerous and has the potential to change things for the worse in terms of rights.

In Israel, there is already a big problem of inequality, and there will be more abuse of power and corruption now. If there is a way to stand against that, then I will be there."

"I really, really hope that this marks some kind of awakening in this country," he continued.

In addition to court reforms, opposition protesters rallied against the new government's intentions to pursue a policy of settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank and social reforms that have worried members and supporters of the LGBTQ+ community.

Signs written in Hebrew and Arabic held up by the demonstrators gathered in Habima Square on Saturday reflected the diversity of demands: "The time has come to bring down the dictator"; "government of shame"; "There is no democracy with the occupation "; "Bibi does not want democracy, we do not need fascists in the Knesset"; "Iran is here"; and "You will love the other as yourself".

Rain started early Saturday evening, raising worries that the weather could affect attendance, but opposition leaders called on protesters to come out despite the wet conditions.

"Everyone should take an Israel flag in one hand, an umbrella in the second and come to defend democracy and the law in Israel," former Defence Minister Benny Gantz said on Twitter on Saturday ahead of his arrival at Habima square.

Many did just that, as images show blocks of demonstrators carrying overlapping umbrellas, creating a cover that obscured the people huddled beneath them.

Protesters huddle under umbrellas at rally against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new hard-right government in Tel Aviv on 14 January (AFP)

Netanyahu is the first sitting Israeli prime minister indicted while in office. He denies the charges against him of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. He took office late last month following his 1 November election win, heading a coalition that includes a politician who 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.

Last week, the new national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, ordered the state's police commissioner to enforce a directive to remove Palestinian flags from public spaces a day after one was waved at a previous anti-government protest in Tel Aviv.

Despite the order, several Palestinian flags were spotted during Saturday's demonstration in the coastal city.

Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.

Thousands of Israelis rally against Netanyahu government


1 of 5

Israeli border police officers prevent protesters from blocking a highway during a rally against the government's plans to overhaul the country's legal system, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. Tens of thousands of Israelis have gathered in central Tel Aviv to protest plans by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new government to overhaul the country's legal system and weaken the Supreme Court. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered in central Tel Aviv on Saturday night to protest plans by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s new government to overhaul the legal system and weaken the Supreme Court — a step that critics say will destroy the country’s democratic system of checks and balances.

The protest presented an early challenge to Netanyahu and his ultranationalist national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has ordered police to take tough action if protesters block roads or display Palestinian flags.

Israeli media, citing police, said the crowd at Tel Aviv’s Habima Square swelled to at least 80,000 people, despite cool, rainy weather. Protesters, many covered by umbrellas, held Israeli flags and signs saying “Criminal Government,” “The End of Democracy” and other slogans.

“They are trying to destroy the checks and balances of the Israeli democracy. This will not work,” said Asaf Steinberg, a protester from the Tel Aviv suburb of Herzliya. “And we will fight until the very last minute to save the Israeli democracy.”

No major unrest was reported, though Israeli media said small crowds scuffled with police as they tried to block a Tel Aviv highway.

Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption charges, has made overhauling the country’s legal system a centerpiece of his agenda.

In office for just over two weeks, his government, which is comprised by ultra-Orthodox and far-right nationalist parties, has launched proposals to weaken the Supreme Court by giving parliament the power to overturn court decisions with a simple majority vote. It also wants to give parliament control over the appointment of judges and reduce the independence of legal advisers.

Netanyahu’s justice minister says unelected judges have too much power. But opponents to the plans say the proposed changes will rob the judiciary of its independence and undermine Israeli democracy. Israeli opposition leaders, former attorney generals and the president of Israel’s Supreme Court have all spoken out against the plan.

The legal changes could help Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption, evade conviction, or even make his trial disappear entirely. Since being indicted in 2019, Netanyahu has said the justice system is biased against him.

Police beefed up their presence ahead of the march. Israeli media quoted police as saying officers had been instructed to be “very sensitive” and allow the protest to proceed peacefully. But they also vowed a tough response to any vandalism or violent behavior.

Smaller protests also took place in the cities of Jerusalem and Haifa.

Israelis rally against Netanyahu 'government of shame'

Issued on: 14/01/2023 

The demonstration is the biggest since Netanyahu's new government took power in late December © JACK GUEZ / AFP

Tel Aviv (AFP) – Tens of thousands of people protested in central Tel Aviv Saturday against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new hard-right government, which critics say threatens Israeli democracy.

Protesters braved the rain for the rally, brandishing signs with slogans decrying a "government of shame" and urging: "bring down the dictator", AFP correspondents said.

Israeli media reported 80,000 people joined the rally, citing police sources. Police gave no official estimate after reporting 20,000 protesters earlier in the evening.

The demonstration is the biggest since Netanyahu's new government took power in late December in Israel, a country of just over nine million.

"The situation is worrying and scary," said 22-year-old protester Aya Tal, who works in the high-tech industry.

"They want to take away our rights... We must unite."

Other rallies were held in Jerusalem, outside the prime minister's and the president's residences, and in the northern city of Haifa, local media reported.

Already Israel's longest-serving premier, Netanyahu returned to power at the head of a coalition with extreme-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties, some of whose officials now head key ministries.

Opposition parties had called on Israelis to join the demonstration to 'save democracy' © JACK GUEZ / AFP

Protesters called for Netanyahu, who is fighting corruption charges in court, to resign.

"Bibi (Netanyahu) doesn't want a democracy, we don't need fascists in the Knesset," read one sign at the Tel Aviv protest, referring to the Israeli parliament.
'Save democracy'

The crowd filled the streets surrounding Tel Aviv's Habima Square and chanted "democracy, democracy", according to an AFP correspondent.

Opposition parties had called on Israelis to join the demonstration -- organised by an anti-corruption group -- to "save democracy" and in protest at a planned judicial overhaul.

Netanyahu's return to power ended an unprecedented period of political gridlock that forced five elections in less than four years and deepened social divisions 

© JACK GUEZ / AFP

Justice Minister Yariv Levin announced on January 4 a controversial plan to hand more powers to lawmakers in appointing judges and overriding Supreme Court decisions.

In Israel, which does not have a constitution, the Supreme Court currently has the authority to repeal laws it considers discriminatory.

Former Supreme Court judge Ayala Procaccia told the crowd the Israeli public "will not accept... the destruction of the basic values of our system."

"We are at a fateful moment for the future of Israel," she said.

The new government has also 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.

The rally included messages against the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and calls to protect the rights of the LGBTQ community.

"There's no democracy with the occupation," read one sign.

'Fight'

Netanyahu is the first sitting Israeli prime minister indicted while in office. He denies the charges against him of bribery, fraud and breach of trust.

The leader of right-wing party Likud was ousted from office in 2021 after a record 12-year run by a motley coalition of parties, elected on the heels of anti-corruption protests that called for Netanyahu's resignation.

His return to power ended an unprecedented period of political gridlock that forced five elections in less than four years and deepened social divisions.

Netanyahu is the first sitting Israeli prime minister indicted while in office 

© JACK GUEZ / AFP

The leader of centre-left opposition party Labor, Merav Michaeli, was among several politicians at the Tel Aviv rally, as was former foreign minister Tzipi Livni.

Former defence minister Benny Gantz, now in the opposition, shared on Twitter a video of himself at the demonstration.

"We'll fight in the Knesset, we'll fight in the media, we'll fight on the streets", Gantz told protesters.

"We will make sure the democratic foundation of Israel is being preserved," he said. "We fight for the country's future together."

© 2023 AFP

Israelis rally against Netanyahu cabinet
By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
14 Jan 23

Thousands of Israeli settlers take to the street to denounce the newest Israeli occupation government and call for the ousting of PM Netanyahu.

Israelis protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition and its proposed judicial reforms to reduce powers of the Supreme Court in a main square in "Tel Aviv", occupied Palestine, January 14, 2023 (REUTERS)

Some 20,000 Israelis took to the streets of "Tel Aviv" on Saturday to protest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet, which has been criticized various times as being the most far-right government in Israeli history.

Protestors carried signs with slogans condemning the government and calling it a "government of shame", calling for "bring[ing] down the dictator", AFP reported.

The Israeli occupation forces estimated that some 20,000 protesters were on the street, with the organizers claiming there were "several tens of thousands" of protesters.

The demonstration is the biggest since the premier took office, with other rallies taking place in front of his residence in occupied Al-Quds and others in Haifa.

This is Netanyahu's sixth term after he was ousted from power in June last year, ending his 12-year run as prime minister, making him the longest-running premier since the start of the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

With Netanyahu coming back in, his third reign of terror will begin after having served as PM from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to 2021. This is his most controversial government to date, expected to lead to a Third Palestinian Intifada.

Read next: Hundreds protest against Israeli cabinet swearing-in before Knesset

The demonstrators repeated chants against the new Israeli occupation government and some of its extremist ministers such as Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich.

Following his November 1 election win, Netanyahu took office late last month at the head of a coalition with extreme-right and Zionist parties, some of whose officials now head key ministries. The new occupation government has announced intentions to pursue a policy of settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank.

Moreover, the protesters called on the corruption-embattled PM to resign from office just a month after he assumed.

"Bibi (Netanyahu) doesn't want a democracy, we don't need fascists in the Knesset," one sign read at a protest in "Tel Aviv".

Meanwhile, opposition parties called on Israelis to join the demonstrations to "save democracy" and protest Netanyahu's planned overhaul of the judiciary authority.

This comes after Israeli occupation Justice Minister Yariv Levin announced earlier in the month a controversial plan to hand more powers to lawmakers in appointing judges and overriding Supreme Court decisions.

Illustrating the increasingly stark division between Israelis, the president of Israeli occupation’s Supreme Court Esther Hayut lashed out on Thursday at the "judicial reform plan" proposed by Netanyahu's cabinet, stressing that it "would crush the justice system."

Hayet begins her speech at a conference of the Israeli Association of Public Law, likely the harshest speech ever delivered by a serving Supreme Court president against a ruling coalition, by noting that "a few days ago, the new justice minister presented a lightning plan for far-reaching changes in the justice system."

"In practice," she charges, "it amounts to an unrestrained attack on the justice system, as though it was an enemy that had to be rushed and defeated."

"With great cynicism, the architects of the plan call it a plan to correct the judicial system.’ And I say, it is a plan to crush the judicial system. It is intended to deliver a fatal blow to the independence and autonomy of the judicial system and silence it" she added.

The rally also included pro-Palestinian slogans, with one sign reading: "There's no democracy with the occupation."

Check out: New Netanyahu Government: Different shades of occupation

Political divisions in "Israel" between the government and the opposition are escalating in light of the exchange of accusations of responsibility for the possible outbreak of an "internal war".

This comes shortly after leaders within the Israeli occupation spoke about the ongoing division in "Israel" exposed by the results of the latest legislative elections.

Israeli occupation President Isaac Herzog said during a speech on the 27th anniversary of the killing of former Israeli occupation Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin that "the complicated political status quo in Israel poses somewhat of a historic challenge for us."

Meanwhile, former Israeli occupation Security Minister Benny Gantz called on Sunday Israelis to take to the streets in protest of changes to the Israeli judicial system that Netanyahu's cabinet proposed.


My Flag My Identity

The new Israeli government is escalating its terror against Palestinians, the latest of which is the new Police Minister Ben-Gvir banning the raising of the Palestinian flag in public places, claiming that waving the Palestinian flag is an "act of terror". In addition, Ben-Gvir is in charge of the Israeli prison system, and he has plans to make things even worse for Palestinian prisoners, who already endure physical and psychological torture.