As many as 200,000 supporters of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s controversial plans turned out in Jerusalem on Thursday to support the coalition government as it prepares for parliament’s summer session.
Demonstrators in one of the largest right-wing rallies in almost 20 years marched on the Knesset, Israel’s parliament.
They demanded that the government be able to pass its divisive plans for a judicial overhaul, which opponents say could end democracy in Israel.
Supporters were brought by bus from across Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, with many openly carrying firearms.
Justice Minister Yariv Levin gave the keynote address, declaring: “No more inequality, no more one-sided judicial system, no more court whose judges are above the Knesset and above the government.”
Far-right ministers also took to the stage, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
The audience came from across Israel’s right-wing and far-right political spectrum, including religious settlers and supporters of Mr Netanyahu’s Likud Party.
Members of the increasingly powerful ultra-Orthodox community were in attendance, although in smaller numbers. Earlier in the day, some of their most important news outlets called on readers not to attend.
The Yated Ne’eman newspaper wrote: “We are clearly with the right at the behest of our rabbis, but we do not belong to, and do not embark on, this joint campaign … We are in favour of legal reform and against the dictatorial takeover of peoples’ lives by liberal terrorism.”
Mr Netanyahu did not attend the rally, but spoke of his support for the mass action.
In a tweet in English, the Prime Minister said: “I am deeply moved by the amazing support of the national camp which ascended to Jerusalem en masse this evening.”
The government’s legal overhaul includes plans to drastically limit the powers of the country’s judiciary, including the Supreme Court, and to give the government more power in appointing legal officials.
The biog
Hometown: Birchgrove, Sydney Australia
Age: 59
Favourite TV series: Outlander Netflix series
Favourite place in the UAE: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque / desert / Louvre Abu Dhabi
Favourite book: Father of our Nation: Collected Quotes of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
Thing you will miss most about the UAE: My friends and family, Formula 1, having Friday's off, desert adventures, and Arabic culture and people
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BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Freezer tips
- Always make sure food is completely cool before freezing.
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- Ensure the food is well wrapped in foil or cling film. Even better, store in fully sealable, labelled containers or zip-lock freezer bags.
- The easiest and safest way to defrost items such as the stews and sauces mentioned is to do so in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
MATCH INFO
Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Son 1', Kane 8' & 16') West Ham United 3 (Balbuena 82', Sanchez og 85', Lanzini 90' 4)
Man of the match Harry Kane
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Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
