Binyamin Netanyahu is exploiting Israel’s divisions

Around half a million Israelis have turned out in protests across the country, clashing with police and bringing parts of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to a standstill. The government plans to weaken Israel’s Supreme Court with a plan of radical 'legal reform', which ditches checks and balances in Israel’s

March 17, 2023 . 8:50 AM

1 min read

Protests have spread across Israel, with around half a million Israelis turning out in demonstrations across the country.
The protests are against a plan of radical 'legal reform', which ditches checks and balances in Israel’s democracy.
The government insists this is necessary, arguing that the fiercely independent and activist court has seized powers on the basis of ill-defined laws, in what amounts to a 'judicial dictatorship'.
The current crisis is ostensibly over the democratic character of Israel’s institutions. It is also a clash between two Israels: the poorer, more religious one, represented by Mr Netanyahu’s coalition; and the largely secular, more middle-class one, which sees the Supreme Court as the guarantor of the country’s liberal values.
The divisions have deepened, and the social contract of Israel is breaking due to the growth in both numbers and power of the Haredi, or ultra-Orthodox community.