Every Saturday, for seven months straight, the streets of Israeli cities have been teeming with angry people sounding off against a controversial piece of legislation. The bill passed this week and while protesters have vowed to continue fighting it, all sides are taking pause until a hearing for an appeal against the law takes place in September.
The protester’s resolve to fight it went right up until the vote was held: a tent city was erected outside the Israeli Knesset the day before the vote, with Israeli President Isaac Herzog calling the situation an “emergency” as last-ditch talks took place.
But why has the judicial overhaul gotten many factions of Israeli society – from doctors, to banks, to army reservists – in disarray? Critics say the changes, which will limit the Supreme Court’s powers, are a power grab that will push Israel towards autocracy, even while Netanyahu says they are necessary to reign in the court.
But is there more? The Israeli leader has been accused of using the legislation to try to circumvent his own legal problems.
What next, then, after the passing of the law the White House called unfortunate? The opposition has filed several petitions against the new law, and popular unrest, labour strikes and a mutiny on the part of some in the military will likely continue.
And while Israelis fear an erosion of democracy, for Palestinians, the new bill only adds to their fears: experts say the changes will make it easier for the Israeli government to pursue policies that serve its “far-right” agenda.
Source: Aljazeera.com
