Thousands of people marched in central Tel Aviv on Saturday for the fifth week in a row against controversial judicial reforms being considered by the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, AFP reports.

Waving the blue and white Israeli flag, many demonstrators marched down Kaplan Street in the city center with placards saying the new government was a “threat to world peace.” Another poster read a call to “save Israeli democracy from Netanyahu.”

Demonstrations have taken place every Saturday night since Netanyahu’s government took office in December.

According to local media, on Saturday, rallies were held in 20 cities of the country, adding that tens of thousands of people gathered in Tel Aviv.

Israeli police did not provide any figures on the number of demonstrators when asked by AFP.

Protester Dania Schwartz, 44, told AFP the protesters were “taking back” the Israeli flag.

“If you look around you, you will see many Israeli flags, and for many years the Israeli flag has been a symbol of the right for no reason (…) We are patriots and we want this country to continue to exist. Israeli flags belong to all of us, it’s not about being right or left,” she said.

“This new government will try to pass laws that will affect my children,” she added.

“We will save our country because we don’t want to live in an undemocratic country,” said former Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, who was among the crowd of protesters Saturday night, according to a video posted on social media.

Disputed decisions

Benjamin Netanyahu returned in December to lead a government that unites right-wing, far-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties, the most extremist in Israel’s history.

In early January, Justice Minister Yariv Levin announced a reform plan that includes the introduction of a “humiliating” provision that allows parliament to overturn Supreme Court decisions with a simple majority vote.

This reform aims to strengthen the power of elected officials over magistrates and, according to its opponents, endangers the democratic nature of the State of Israel.

Also in January, Netanyahu was forced under the pressure of justice to dismiss the second government official, Ari Deri, who was convicted of tax evasion.

At the end of December, the deputies voted for the text, called by the press “Deri’s law”, according to which a person convicted of a crime, but not sentenced to imprisonment, can hold a position in the government.

The Supreme Court criticized this law and considered that Deri’s appointment “seriously contravenes the basic principles of the rule of law”.

Netanyahu is on trial for corruption

Netanyahu himself is on trial for corruption in several cases, and his trial is ongoing. In Israel, the prime minister does not have judicial immunity, but must not resign or resign while on trial.

In addition, the government announced its intention to pursue a policy of expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank, as well as social reforms that concern the LGBT community. (source news.ro)