The organizers of a right-wing demonstration expected to take place Thursday evening in Jerusalem are continuing their great effort to reach as many groups in the population as possible who will take part and come to the capital to show their support for the judicial reform legislation. Among the speakers expected at the demonstration is Minister of Justice Yariv Levin, Chairman of the Knesset's Constitution, Law and Justice Committee MK Simcha Rothman, Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir, Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich and Member of Knesset Avihai Bowron.
In addition to the ordinary citizens expected to arrive in masses, Israel Defense Forces soldiers reported that they received a message from their commanders that participation in a demonstration in favor of judicial reform is permitted. The commanders instructed the soldiers that participation is allowed for soldiers up to the rank of lieutenant colonel, without uniforms, and obviously without participating in any violent events.
Following the IDF's announcement, the organizers expect that thousands of soldiers will join the demonstration in Jerusalem. It should be noted that according to the IDF order, participation of soldiers in protests, political activity, public activity, and media activity is prohibited, but as mentioned, this time uniquely the IDF informed the soldiers that Participation in the demonstration is allowed.
Tonight, 7 pm, on Kaplan street (where the supreme court and Knesset are), come and support the judicial reform.
— David Meir 🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱 (@C43LOcDWUss58oc) April 27, 2023
However, a newspaper aligned with one of the ruling coalition's ultra-orthodox factions published an editorial Thursday morning directing their followers to not attend. Yeated Ne'eman wrote in the piece that posed as an article that gave information on the gathering, “(w)e are in favor of legal reform and against the dictatorial takeover of peoples’ lives by liberal terrorism. But members of the Haredi community should stay away,” it added. “Those who go to right-wing demonstrations are not part of our audience, period. Those who go to right-wing demonstrations are not one of us.”
The paper, associated with the non-Haredi 'Degel Hatorah' party typically echoes the sentiment of the group's leadership. The religious sect, despite having been attached to Netanyahu-led coalitions for over a decade, at times goes to extreme measures to distance themselves from identifying with the State of Israel. The group also has prohibitions on its members from participating in non-gender segregated events.
so these will be the 'real' and not the 'elite' demonstrators? (mostly, I imagine yeshiva guys from Yehuda and Shomron, no?)
— William Kolbrener 🦕 (@OMTorah) April 27, 2023
During Israel’s Independence Day, Justice Minister Yariv Levin published a video in which he called for participation in the demonstration: "Tomorrow, Thursday, our big demonstration is taking place in Jerusalem starting at 7:00 PM near the Knesset. I call on each and every one of you, I need you, we all need to go up to Jerusalem tomorrow With great force to make a clear voice in favor of judicial reforms, in favor of true democracy, in favor of justice. See you tomorrow."
Likud Communications Minister Shlomo Karai also published a statement Wednesday evening: "Everyone is coming to Jerusalem. We are ratifying the mandate. Both with our youth and our elders. We will declare loud and clear: even after 75 years, the democratic rules of the game are the best way to settle disputes. On our watch, the voice of the people will mean something; with patience, but also with determination. for the glory of the State of Israel".
SHOWING SUPPORT
— Jewish News Syndicate (@JNS_org) April 24, 2023
Reformers will gather for the “Million-Person Protest” outside the Knesset in Jerusalem on April 27, in a show of strength and support for the government’s effort to restore checks and balances on the court. 🇮🇱https://t.co/lUIMa2Ow55
As part of the preparations for the event, the organizers set up a separate area for demonstrators for the ultra-orthodox public. This is against the background of the controversy in the ultra-Orthodox rabbinical leadership. While some heads of large Yeshivas, such as Rabbi Meir Mazoz, encouraged his students to protest, the Ultra-Orthodox newspaper “Yad Na'am” wrote Thursday morning that anyone who will come to the demonstration is considered a “priest in a cemetery”, something which is largely prohibited in Judaism.
