Massive crowds rally in Israel as vote on judicial overhaul looms

Tens of thousands of Israelis have marched into Jerusalem and more protesters took to the streets in Tel Aviv in a last-ditch show of force aimed at blocking Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s contentious judicial overhaul plan.

Protests have intensified in the days leading up to the debate that began Sunday ahead of a parliamentary vote on Monday which could see a key part of the proposals passed into law.The bill would limit the Supreme Court’s powers to void what it considers “unreasonable” government or ministerial decisions. Critics view the legislation as a threat to Israel’s democracy.

In Jerusalem on Saturday, marchers turned the city’s main entrance into a sea of blue and white Israeli flags as they completed the last leg of a four-day, 70km (43 miles) trek from Tel Aviv to Israel’s parliament.The group, which grew from hundreds to thousands as the march progressed, were welcomed by throngs of cheering protesters before they set up camp in rows of small white tents outside the Knesset before the expected vote.

“Democracy is not as certain as it used to be,” said Ido Golan, a protester from central Israel who joined with his partner and two young children, one on his back in a baby carrier.

“It’s very important for us and also for them to know we did what we can to save the democracy.”

Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands flooded the streets of the coastal city of Tel Aviv on Saturday, the country’s business and cultural capital, as well as in Beersheba, Haifa and Netanya.

‘Guard our democracy’
Early on Sunday, hundreds of protesters prayed at the Western Wall in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, the holiest place where Jews can pray.

Carrying Israeli flags, many also formed a human chain at different locations in Jerusalem, including in front of Jaffa Gate in the Old City.“We have to keep the pressure, we have to guard our democracy,” protester Amir Goldstein told the AFP news agency, who spent the night in a tent near parliament.

Al Jazeera’s Mohammed Jamjoom, reporting from West Jerusalem outside the Israeli Knesset, said there was a “massive” crowd of people outside protesting. “You have so many demonstrators chanting pro-democracy slogans. They say the situation is extremely dire,” he added.

“We were speaking to demonstrator … who said they were out protesting because this was the moment the guillotine was about to fall. They are worried that if this contentious bill passes … it will move the country from a democracy to autocracy.”An additional 10,000 reservists announced they were suspending duty on Saturday night, according to Brothers in Arms, a protest group representing retired soldiers.

More than 100 top former security chiefs, including retired military commanders, police commissioners and heads of intelligence agencies, joined those calls on Saturday, signing a letter to Netanyahu blaming him for compromising Israel’s military and urging him to halt the legislation.

The signatories included Ehud Barak, a former Israeli prime minister, and Moshe Yaalon, a former army chief and defence minister. Both are political rivals of Netanyahu.

“The legislation is crushing those things shared by Israeli society, is tearing the people apart, disintegrating the [Israeli army] and inflicting fatal blows on Israel’s security,” the former officials wrote.An additional 10,000 reservists announced they were suspending duty on Saturday night, according to Brothers in Arms, a protest group representing retired soldiers.

More than 100 top former security chiefs, including retired military commanders, police commissioners and heads of intelligence agencies, joined those calls on Saturday, signing a letter to Netanyahu blaming him for compromising Israel’s military and urging him to halt the legislation.

The signatories included Ehud Barak, a former Israeli prime minister, and Moshe Yaalon, a former army chief and defence minister. Both are political rivals of Netanyahu.

“The legislation is crushing those things shared by Israeli society, is tearing the people apart, disintegrating the [Israeli army] and inflicting fatal blows on Israel’s security,” the former officials wrote.