Tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrated today in Tel Aviv and in front of the Parliament in Jerusalem denouncing the Netanyahu government’s judicial reform, the subject of votes in the Israeli Knesset in the coming days.

Demonstrations were also organized in other Israeli cities such as Beersheba, Kfar Saba or Herzliya, north of Tel Aviv.

The controversial reform is dividing Israel, which has been rocked since January by the largest protest movement in its history.

“Democracy or revolution!” shouted protesters in Tel Aviv along with pro-democracy slogans during the 29th night of demonstrations.

“The government doesn’t listen to us, that means it’s the beginning of a new era, a bad era,” a 55-year-old protester told AFP.

According to the government, the aim of the judicial reform is to restore the balance between powers, by reducing the powers of the Supreme Court, which is considered “politicized” by the Netanyahu government, in favor of the Parliament, which is controlled by the government.

But its opponents see the reform as paving the way for an authoritarian perversion of Israel’s government, the most right-wing the country has ever known.

“To me, it’s devastating,” summed up one protester who works in the high-tech sector.

As early as tomorrow at noon, the debates in the Knesset will focus on the measure of the bill that seeks to abolish the ability of the Israeli judiciary, and in particular the Supreme Court, to rule on the “reasonable nature” of government decisions.

This clause will then be voted on in second and third reading. If passed, it would be the first major judicial reform provision to become law.

Sit-in protest in front of the Knesset

Aiming to put pressure on lawmakers, thousands of protesters gathered tonight in front of the Knesset and the Supreme Court in Jerusalem after marching the 65 kilometers that separate Tel Aviv from the Holy City.

Equipped with umbrellas to face the hot sun, bottles of water and Israeli flags, the marchers marched along the highway, stopping midday and evening.

“This government is an extremist government, religious, and we hope to bring it down as soon as possible,” explained Guy Baidan, who participated in the multi-day march with his family.

“Many of us will camp here until the vote is called off,” he said.

The regulation on the “reasonableness” of government decisions, which was passed in first reading on the night of July 10-11, forced Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to dismiss Deputy Prime Minister Arie Deri, who had been convicted of tax fraud, following an intervention by the Supreme Court.

Other provisions of the judicial reform that are causing strong protests are those that modify the procedure for appointing judges, which has also been voted on in the first reading.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption, is accused of using judicial reform to mitigate the consequences of a conviction against him.

The threats of the reserves

At least 1,142 members of the Israeli Air Force threatened today to end their voluntary service if the Knesset passes the bill.

Any legislation applied in an “absurd” manner “would undermine my will to continue risking my life and would force me, with great regret, to end my volunteer service,” they said in their statement.

On Thursday, Netanyahu said he remains “open” to negotiations with the opposition, while his reform is also causing backlash abroad, particularly in the United States.

United States President Joe Biden on Wednesday urged the Israeli government to proceed not studiously, but judiciously, with reform, in an unusually blunt criticism of an issue of Israeli domestic policy.