JERUSALEM, Israel — Thousands of Israelis rallied outside the country’s Supreme Court on Thursday evening to support Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s judicial reforms, ahead of a possible looming constitutional crisis.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments Tuesday against the first of Netanyahu’s reforms, which passed in July, and which bars courts from overturning laws or government policies on the basis of their “reasonableness.”
Supporters of Netanyahu’s reforms marched in the streets, waved Israeli flags, and even tossed fake bananas into the air, warning that Israel could become a “banana republic” if it allows the courts to undermine the voters.
Supporters of judicial reform in Israel parade outside the Supreme Court dressed in banana costumes, to symbolize a “banana republic.” Jerusalem, Israel, Sep. 7, 2023. (Joel Pollak / Breitbart News)
Netanyahu has argued that the Court does not have jurisdiction to hear challenges to laws that affect its powers. The judicial reform is part of Israel’s quasi-constitutional Basic Laws, from which the Court derives its authority.
The rally featured a wide variety of homemade signs and props, along with chants, songs, and drums. A video was shown at the rally criticizing the opposition for supporting the desertion of military reservists as a form of protest.
A supporter of Benjamin Netanyahu’s judicial reforms holds a mock ballot box, with a shredder inside, emblazoned with the slogan: “The Supreme Court will not shred our vote.” Jerusalem, Sep. 7, 2023. (Joel Pollak / Breitbart News)
Supporters of the Netanyahu government’s judicial reforms hold a homemade sign that reads: “Enough of the dictatorship of the Supreme Court.” Jerusalem, Sep. 7, 2023. (Joel Pollak / Breitbart News)
The crowd swelled as the rally went on, and featured speeches from prominent local conservative leaders, such as members of Israel’s parliament, the Knesset; and popular columnist Caroline Glick, formerly of Breitbart News.
A supporter of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s judicial reforms holds a sign. Jerusalem, Sep. 7, 2023. (Joel Pollak / Breitbart News)
A large crowd hears speeches in support of Benjamin Netayahu’s judicial reforms outside the Supreme Court in Jerusalem. Sep. 7, 2023. (Joel Pollak / Breitbart News)
Many of Netanyahu’s proposed reforms parallel existing practice in other democracies.
Netanyahu and his right-wing coalition were elected on promises to increase legislative checks and balances on Israel’s judiciary, which is the most powerful in the democratic world, and which leans left in its rulings. However, Israel’s opposition has resisted any change to the status quo, calling the reforms a threat to democracy and holding weekly protests.
Supporters of Netanyahu’s reforms have rallied less often, but are no less vehement in their views. The opposition will hold its own protest on Saturday evening in Tel Aviv, as it has done every weekend since the start of the year.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of the new biography, Rhoda: ‘Comrade Kadalie, You Are Out of Order’. He is also the author of the recent e-book, Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
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