London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Sep 11, 2025

Israel judicial reform plans draw mass protests outside parliament

Israel judicial reform plans draw mass protests outside parliament

Tens of thousands of Israelis have protested outside their parliament against controversial judicial reform plans which have divided the country.

Israel has seen some of its biggest demonstrations in years since the plans were unveiled last month.

If passed, they would curb the Supreme Court's power and give the government more say over judicial appointments.

Critics say it will undermine democracy; the government argues the reforms will strengthen it.

"I feel very distressed, very nervous, I have a lot of sleepless nights," said Helit from Ness Tziona, south of Tel Aviv, who came with her daughter.

"I think they will change. I hope so... but I think [it will be] only for a while. Then things will change again for the worse."

Dore, a lawyer from Tel Aviv, was one of thousands whose offices shut to enable staff to attend the protests.

"I'm here because my heart has been torn to pieces seeing what the new government is doing to Israeli democracy," he said.

"You know they are tearing apart the spirit of this country. And they are threatening the power of the legal systems. I cannot see it happening without protesting against it."

Helit: "I feel very distressed, very nervous, I have a lot of sleepless nights"

In an unusual step, US President Joe Biden appeared to criticise the proposals in their current form in comments printed in the New York Times on Sunday - a rarity for a US leader to express an opinion on constitutional matters in Israel.

Israel's own President, Isaac Herzog, warned that the country was on the verge of constitutional and social collapse. Involvement by Israeli presidents in political issues are also rare since the post is considered to be a politically neutral figurehead.

Monday's demonstrations are the latest in weekly mass protests against the reforms. Opponents say the plans will politicise the judiciary and could lead to an authoritarian government.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the current system where laws passed by an elected parliament can be overturned by the Supreme Court is undemocratic.

Among the planned reforms, the ability of the Supreme Court to strike down laws would be severely weakened. A simple majority in the Knesset (Israel's parliament) would also have the power to override court rulings.

The reforms would also give the government more influence over the committee which appoints judges, including to the Supreme Court.

Israel's Justice Minister Yariv Lavin, who introduced the plans, accused opponents - including the attorney general and Supreme Court's chief justice - of seeking to "carry out a coup" against Mr Netanyahu, after a petition was filed to the court to declare the prime minister unfit for office.
Comments

Oh ya 3 year ago
The people keep re-electing nuttynatsu so the get what the deserve. All the jews around the world should move back to fight this.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
Pig Heads Left Outside Multiple Paris Mosques in Outrage-Inducing Acts
Nvidia’s ‘Wow’ Factor Is Fading. The AI chip giant used to beat Wall Street expectations for earnings by a substantial margin. That trajectory is coming down to earth.
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
On the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Prince Harry Returns to Britain
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Murdoch Family Finalises $3.3 Billion Succession Pact, Ensuring Eldest Son’s Leadership
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Court Staff Cover Up Banksy Image of Judge Beating a Protester
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
Elon Musk Poised to Become First Trillionaire Under Ambitious Tesla Pay Plan
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
Burning the Minister’s House Helped Protesters to Win Justice: Prabowo Fires Finance Minister in Wake of Indonesia Protests
Brazil Braces for Fallout from Bolsonaro Trial by corrupted judge
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
Nearly 40 Years Later: Nike Changes the Legendary Slogan Just Do It
Generations Born After 1939 Unlikely to Reach Age One Hundred, New Study Finds
End to a four-year manhunt in New Zealand: the father who abducted his children to the forests was killed, the three siblings were found
Germany Suspends Debt Rules, Funnels €500 Billion Toward Military and Proxy War Strategy
EU Prepares for War
BMW Eyes Growth in China with New All‑Electric Neue Klasse Lineup
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
US Justice Department Launches Criminal Mortgage-Fraud Probe into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
Escalating Drug Trafficking and Violence in Latin America: A Growing Crisis
US and Taiwanese Defence Officials Held Secret Talks in Alaska
Report: Secret SEAL Team 6 Mission in North Korea Ordered by Trump in 2019 Ended in Failure
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Florida Murder Case: The Adelson Family, the Killing of Dan Markel, and the Trial of Donna Adelson
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
×