On Thursday evening, the area near Jerusalem's Supreme Court was a hive of activity as an estimated 10,000 government supporters gathered for a rally. While this number pales in comparison to the hundreds of thousands who have regularly participated in protests opposing judicial reforms, the event's organizers still hailed the turnout as a triumph. The assembly occurred just before pivotal High Court hearings on reforms aimed at curbing judicial authority, marking an intense moment in Israeli politics.
Though smaller in scale than previous pro-government rallies and considerably less substantial than counter-protests in Tel Aviv, the crowd's message was unmistakable: keep judicial intervention out of the government's legislative initiatives. The rally became a platform for leading politicians like Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who is also the head of the far-right Religious Zionism party. Addressing Chief Justice Esther Hayut, Smotrich was explicit in his warning against overturning any part of the government's legislative package, arguing that such an action would mark "the end of democracy."
Orit Strock, the Settlements Minister who belongs to Smotrich's Religious Zionism party, expressed disappointment at the need for the rally in the first place. She contended that the public should be enjoying their lives at home, rather than having to defend governmental actions on the streets. According to Strock, those opposing the judicial reforms are not advocates of democracy but proponents of a disguised dictatorship.
Days before a High Court hearing on a law, #Israel’s right wing is calling for supporters of the judicial reform to attend a rally in front of the Supreme Court in #Jerusalem. https://t.co/CBWFiKeneB
— All Israel News (@all_israel_news) September 7, 2023
The event also featured a theatrical edge. Some protestors, costumed as bananas, sought to portray Israel as a "banana republic," where the judiciary has encroached upon the domain of elected officials. Signs outside the Supreme Court building further reinforced this sentiment, declaring, “The Supreme Court won't decide over the [will of the] people.”
However, the rally wasn't devoid of controversy. A segment of the demonstrators displayed extreme views, brandishing stickers that supported figures like Baruch Goldstein, who killed 29 Palestinians in 1994, and Amiram Ben Uliel, convicted of a fatal 2015 firebombing in the West Bank. These isolated incidents underscore the divisive and occasionally volatile atmosphere surrounding the discussion on judicial reforms, hinting at a schism within Israeli society itself.
Galit Distel Atbaryan, the Public Diplomacy Minister, directed her own warning at Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, a critic of the 'reasonableness law.' She made it clear that any opposition to the law would have to confront her and "another 2 million Israelis." Minister for the Advancement of Women, May Golan, echoed a similar sentiment, vowing to combat any High Court decision that would overturn coalition legislation.
The public's attention is now focused on two critical upcoming dates: hearings on September 12 about the 'reasonableness law,' which aims to limit judicial review of governmental decisions, and on September 28, a hearing on legislation that could protect sitting prime ministers from forced removal. Both amendments are to Israel's Basic Laws, which have hitherto never been nullified by the High Court.
Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana elevated the stakes even higher. He issued a dire warning, asserting that a judicial invalidation of the reasonableness law would thrust Israel into a state of turmoil. His words echo the sentiments of rally organizers, who caution that the Supreme Court would invite "chaos" if it opposes the proposed reforms.
Supporters Urge Coalition to Press Ahead with Judicial Reforms Amidst Supreme Court Protests#Israel #JudicialOverhaul #Protests #RightWingIsraelis #HighCourtHearings #SupremeCourtProtest #BNN #Worldnews #Breakingnews #Newsupdate pic.twitter.com/jmVovsPYZH
— Kasturi Chakraborty (@journokc) September 8, 2023
In summary, the rally and the political speeches encapsulate a nation at a crossroads, its democratic institutions balanced on a razor's edge. The forthcoming High Court hearings could serve as a watershed moment in Israel’s legal and political history, potentially catalyzing a constitutional crisis that questions the division of power between different branches of the government.
