What Are Israelis Protesting For?

Quick Overview

Israelis are protesting the government's judicial overhaul, which they perceive as a threat to the country's liberal democracy for Jews, aiming to "turn back the clock" to a pre-Netanyahu government era. The government, driven by Prime Minister Netanyahu's return to power, an annexationist agenda, ultra-orthodox interests, and Netanyahu's ongoing trial, seeks to remove the Supreme Court as an impediment to its policies, despite the court's historical deference to the government on Palestinian rights.

Key Points: The government's judicial overhaul is driven by Prime Minister Netanyahu's desire to evade his trial, the coalition's annexationist agenda for the West Bank, and the ultra-orthodox parties' aim to secure military draft exemptions, which the Supreme Court previously struck down. Despite the Supreme Court's historical deference to the Israeli government on Palestinian rights, the right-wing views it as an impediment, with Justice Minister Yariv Levin having stated over 10 years ago that the High Court was the "biggest impediment to annexing the West Bank." The protests are primarily about "turning back the clock" to a pre-Netanyahu government era and retaining Israel as a "liberal democracy for Jews," largely excluding Palestinian citizens and the issue of occupation from their core demands. The energy behind the protests stems from diverse concerns, including women's rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and the broader secular-religious divide, as many fear a theocracy and loss of personal freedoms. Many on the Israeli left, like Orly Noy, chose not to participate in the protests due to the overwhelming presence of Israeli flags and the movement's failure to embrace a vision of democracy that includes Palestinian citizens, arguing that "without the presence active presence of Palace of the Palestinian citizens we cannot progress forward towards real democracy." The government remains intent on passing the reforms, leading to a constitutional crisis where government members openly defy the Attorney General and Supreme Court, while the right-wing mobilizes with a "second-class citizens" narrative, despite the government's anti-social and anti-Mizrahi legislative agenda. The military establishment largely opposes the judicial reforms, partly due to fears that a weakened Supreme Court would make it easier for Israeli officials and soldiers to face the International Criminal Court, thus removing a crucial "fig leaf" for Israel's actions.