Tens of thousands of protesters have rallied in Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities to protest judicial overhaul plans by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.

The protests, now in their 22nd week, continued on Saturday despite Netanyahu’s announcement in March that the contentious legal proposals were being put on hold.

In the central city of Tel Aviv, some 100,000 people waved Israeli flags, lit torches and beat drums, according to Israeli media.

“We will keep demonstrating to show them that even if they have paused in the reform plan, we will stay mobilised – they will not be able to pass laws on the sly,” said Ilit Fayn, a 55-year-old dentist.

Netanyahu’s government, a coalition between his Likud party and extreme-right as well as ultra-Orthodox Jewish allies, argues the proposed changes are needed to rebalance powers between legislators and the judiciary.

Critics say it will grant the government unrestrained power and upend the country’s system of checks and balances.

Credit: aljazeera.com