Anti-Netanyahu Protests Increase After Israeli Parliament Passes Controversial Judicial Bill

Tel Aviv, MINA – Israeli doctors started a 24-hour strike and black advertisements covered the front pages of newspapers on Tuesday, in a furor over the ratification of initial judicial law changes by the right-wing government.

The first bill limiting Supreme Court review of several government decisions passed in the controversial Knesset (Israel’s parliament) on Monday, after a strike by lawmakers who say Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pushing Israel toward autocracy.

With the demonstrations rocking Israeli society for months, thousands took to the streets Monday night.

There were violent confrontations between protesters and Israeli police, which led to injuries and arrests in the city of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, as well as other areas, reported Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

Police forcibly dispersed demonstrators who closed several main roads for hours. They arrested at least 18 protesters and announced that a number of officers were injured.

The United States’ traditional allies have called the vote “unfortunate”.

“Black Day for Israeli Democracy,” said an advertisement on the front of a major newspaper placed by a group, which describes itself as a worried high-tech worker.

Protest leaders say a growing number of reservists will no longer report for duty.

However, opposition leader Yair Lapid asked them to hold off on the threat, which has shaken Israel’s sense of national security, pending a Supreme Court decision on a political watchdog group’s appeal to overturn the law.

The Israel Medical Association ordered doctors to go on strike. (T/RE1/P2)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)