Thousands of Israeli protesters blocked several highways and gathered outside the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange on Tuesday to protest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s judicial reform plans, the Associated Press reported. .
The protests took place on a planned “day of turmoil” after Prime Minister Netanyahu pushed ahead with a bill scheduled for a vote in the Israeli parliament next week that would further limit judicial oversight of certain government decisions. rice field. according to to AP. Tuesday’s protests are expected to last all day, especially around rush hour traffic areas. (Related article: Israeli PM says US ‘is no longer our closest ally’)
“This government is completely insane. We fear democracy, everything we’ve built. That’s why we’re all fighting here,” said one of the Israeli startups. Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Itai Bar Nathan, 48, told The Associated Press.
According to the Associated Press, demonstrators fired smoke grenades, built human chairs to block entry into military headquarters, and displayed placards reading “Save the emerging nations” and “Authoritarianism destroys the economy.” brought. Many of the demonstrators were reservists and had threatened not to come to duty if Netanyahu’s plans passed parliament. according to to AP.
Demonstrators hold flags for the “Day of Resistance” protesting the Israeli government’s judicial reform bill in Tel Aviv on July 18, 2023. (Photo: JACK GUEZ/AFP, Getty Images)
Prime Minister Netanyahu issued a statement on Monday warning the soldiers that they would endanger Israel if they did not show up for duty and that their absence would have repercussions. director From his Twitter account.
“There cannot be a group within the military that threatens to lower security barriers if it does not get their way… No democratic nation can accept such an order.” No, dictatorship is the destruction of democracy,” Netanyahu said. “A refusal would endanger the safety of all Israelis. The government will not accept the refusal and will take all necessary steps to counter it and ensure our safety and future.”
The demonstrations come as Israeli President Isaac Herzog meets with President Joe Biden and then speaks to Congress on Tuesday.The Biden Administration Has Been Pushing Opposition To The Reform Plan For Months, And Biden Had The Phone Recently phone He will meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu on Monday to discuss escalating violence in the West Bank. He urged Netanyahu to reach “the broadest possible agreement” on the judicial reform issue, according to a read-out of the White House call.
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