Israelis protest judicial reform for 36th consecutive week

This is the 36th consecutive week of large-scale protests by Israelis against plans that are said to weaken the power of the Supreme Court and give more power to the government and parliament.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to meet on September 12 to rule on whether to overturn the “reasonableness” law, passed on July 24. This law prohibits courts at all levels from using the “reasonableness” standard to overturn decisions made by governments and elected bodies.

Tel Aviv continues to be the epicenter of weekly protests, with tens of thousands gathering in Habima Square before marching to Kaplan Street, where the State Administration Building is located. Thousands of people also completed a three-day “democracy march” in northern Israel to send a message of opposition to judicial reform plans.
For its part, the Israeli government has warned that if the Supreme Court strikes down the law, it could plunge the country into chaos.

Earlier, the organization Quality Government in Israel filed a petition calling on the Supreme Court of Justice to repeal the new reasonableness law passed on July 24, which is a key part of the controversial judicial reform plan pushed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.

In a government response to the court, ministers and many politicians warned of the possibility of chaos or a “judicial crisis.” The government also argued that the court had no authority to overturn the Basic Laws, which serve as Israel’s constitution.