At least 70,000 demonstrators gathered outside Israel’s parliament on Monday to protest against the first round of voting on legal reforms that critics say will fundamentally alter the nature of democracy in the country.
Groups from across Israel’s political spectrum attended the demonstration, bringing areas surrounding the Knesset to a standstill in one of the most intense signs yet that government policy is dividing the country.
The reforms proposed by the country’s new coalition include an “override clause” that would allow parliament to re-legislate by simple parliamentary majority any laws that the Supreme Court strikes down.
Other reforms include giving the administration control over the selection of judges, and allowing ministers to select their own legal advisers, ending a previous arrangement whereby such counsel would come from the Justice Ministry.
The effects of the reforms would not only be political, and academics, teachers, medics and other professionals held up signs during the protest outlining what the reforms would mean for their sectors.
Erel Margalit, founder of Jerusalem Venture Partners, one of Israel’s leading venture capital firms, called the protests “extremely moving”.
“It’s probably the biggest demonstration of the tech industry ever,” he said.
“Over the past 25 years, we in the high-tech industry have been builders at home and abroad. An open society was critical to that. Many of these builders that are leading Israel’s economy are now saying, 'don’t change our ways of life'.”
“Democracy is at the heart of what Israel is: the ability to have Jews and Arabs, men and women work together.”
There was an intense patriotic fervour present in the crowd, with a sea of Israeli flags stretching throughout Jerusalem’s political district.
On Saturday, a sixth weekly protest against the reforms drew more than 200,000 people, marking the highest turnout since the demonstrations began.
The protest movement is keen to stress its cross-party nature, as Israel comes to terms with the formation of its most right-wing government in its history, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Domestic pressure on his administration over the proposals is growing. According to a poll released on Friday by Israel's Channel 12, only one in four Israelis support the proposed legislation.
In a speech on Sunday night, Israeli President Isaac Herzog issued a desperate call for compromise, saying the country was on the verge of “societal and constitutional collapse”.
While the atmosphere among protesters was overwhelmingly one of unity on Monday, old divisions remained stark.
Daphna, a teacher, stood by a group of pro-Palestinian organisations making the case that Palestinian rights were key to the health of Israeli democracy.
“We relate to the title of this demonstration, but we say don’t forget that the basis of this corruption is that we are sitting on the neck of another nation,” she said.
“Some people come up to as and say, 'why are you making the connection'. One man even took a placard from my group and tore it up in front of us. I tell them, 'do human rights insult you?'”
Inside the parliament, a tense first round of voting on the legislation was under way, during which a number of politicians were removed from the room.
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Star%20Wars%3A%20Episode%20I%20%E2%80%93%20The%20Phantom%20Menace
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Big%20Ape%20Productions%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20LucasArts%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsoles%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PC%2C%20PlayStation%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
DIVINE%20INTERVENTOIN
%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Elia%20Suleiman%2C%20Manal%20Khader%2C%20Amer%20Daher%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Elia%20Suleiman%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Scoreline
Syria 1-1 Australia
Syria Al Somah 85'
Australia Kruse 40'
The five pillars of Islam
MATCH INFO
Azerbaijan 0
Wales 2 (Moore 10', Wilson 34')
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Summer special
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Astroworld
Travis Scott
Grand Hustle/Epic/Cactus Jack
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
