Protests to converge on Jerusalem during judicial reform bill vote

Mass unity prayer planned at Western Wall - Universities to go on strike.

Thousands wave the Israeli flag as they protest against the judicial overhaul at the Knesset in Jerusalem. February 20, 2023. (photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
Thousands wave the Israeli flag as they protest against the judicial overhaul at the Knesset in Jerusalem. February 20, 2023.
(photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

Anti-judicial reform protests will converge on Jerusalem starting on Sunday as the reasonableness standard bill is brought before the Knesset for final readings.

The protesters will join hundreds of activists who are already marching along Highway 1 to the capital and plan to arrive over the weekend to the Knesset.

A series of events will be conducted outside the Knesset and around Jerusalem on Sunday and Monday, including protests outside the Knesset.

At the Western Wall, a mass prayer will be held for the peace of the nation and a call for broad consensus, followed by a march to the Knesset. Medical professionals will also hold a march in the city.

In Sacher Park, protesters will set up a "Democracy Outpost" consisting of tents.

 Demonstrators march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem protesting against the Israeli government's judicial overhaul plans, near the Ben Shemen interchange, Israel July 20, 2023 (credit: AMIR COHEN/REUTERS)
Demonstrators march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem protesting against the Israeli government's judicial overhaul plans, near the Ben Shemen interchange, Israel July 20, 2023 (credit: AMIR COHEN/REUTERS)

Protest convoys will drive around the capital as well.

"We are entering the most fateful days in the country's history," said the protest organizers. "This is the war of independence of a clear majority of Israel's citizens, patriots who have left everything and for many months are fighting for its future as a liberal democracy. We are just before the destruction of the Third Temple and the government and its leader must hear the cry of the people and stop. Starting from Saturday night, we will all be on the streets, only determined resistance will stop the dictatorship."

The presidents of nine universities in Israel announced Thursday that they would be holding a strike on Sunday as the reasonableness standard bill is brought before the Knesset for its final readings, according to Army Radio.

The presidents include the presidents of Tel Aviv University, Ben-Gurion University, Ariel University, Bar-Ilan University, the University of Haifa, the Technion, the Open University, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot.

The Israel Medical Association announced a labor dispute on Thursday in order to allow itself to legally strike in about two weeks, according to KAN. If the reasonableness standard bill passes, the association plans to file a complaint to the High Court of Justice and hold a march on Thursday from the Chords Bridge in Jerusalem to the International Convention Center.


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Pro-reform protest planned in Tel Aviv on Sunday

Right-wing protesters are planning to hold a protest on Kaplan Street in Tel Aviv on Sunday at 6 p.m. in support of the judicial reform. The protest, which is endorsed by Justice Minister Yariv Levin, has organized buses from cities across the country in order to transport people to the demonstration.

Histadrut chair warns Netanyahu reform is tearing apart Israeli society

Histadrut Labor Federation chairman Arnon Bar-David and the chairman of the Presidency of the Business Sector in Israel, Dubi Amitai, met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday and called on the prime minister to halt the judicial reform legislation, according to Walla.

Bar-David and Amitai asked Netanyahu to work to achieve broad consensus on the reform, adding that moving forward with the reform on the eve of Tisha B'Av threatens the people of Israel with "the destruction of the Third Temple."

The two told Netanyahu that they're seeing worrying situations from north to south, with violence and hate tearing Israeli society apart. Bar-David and Amitai told the prime minister that they would continue to act to bring about broad consensus, but were also placing red lines, stressing that now is the time to show responsible leadership.

Tel Aviv protests to continue for 29th week

The Kaplan Force protest movement announced on Thursday morning that a large protest will take place on Kaplan Street in Tel Aviv on Saturday night starting at 7 p.m. ahead of the vote on the reasonableness standard bill. Additional protests are planned for about 150 locations across Israel on Saturday night.

Former Shin Bet head Yuval Diskin, central protest leader Prof. Shikma Bresler, one of the leaders of the "Building an Alternative" movement leader, Hadas Regolsi, and reserve Air Force pilot Shira Etting are set to speak at the demonstration on Kaplan Street.