Tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets the weekend to protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's controversial plans to tighten controls on the Supreme Court. The proposed overhaul, which would give the government more control over appointing judges to the Supreme Court and allow parliament to override many rulings, was temporarily halted after some of the largest street protests ever seen in Israel, now in their 18th consecutive week.
The government's argument for the overhaul is that activist judges are increasingly taking over the role of parliament, and therefore, the overhaul is necessary to restore balance between the judiciary and elected officials. However, critics believe that the move is a threat to Israeli democracy, as it would remove vital checks and balances and give unchecked power to the government.
The far-right coalition has only been in power for five months, and already 74% of Israelis think that the government is functioning poorly, according to a recent poll by the Israeli public broadcaster. The protests against the proposed judiciary reform have been ongoing for three months, with crowds gathering in central Tel Aviv and other cities across the country.
The demonstration in Tel Aviv alone was estimated to be attended by 110,000 people, according to Israel's Channel 12. Protesters waved blue and white Israeli flags, which have become a symbol of the protests, and expressed their concerns about the proposed changes to the judiciary.
"I'm very worried for my country," said Bental Shamir, a 60-year old teacher who participated in the demonstration in Tel Aviv. "I don't want a corrupted country."
The planned overhaul has been put on hold to allow Israeli President Isaac Herzog to broker a compromise between the coalition and opposition. However, so far, the compromise talks have not led to any significant progress. "I'm sure that we are closer than we can imagine," said lawyer Dor Lasker, 35, who is hopeful that a compromise can be reached.
Following the coronation ceremony in London, a statement from the Israeli president's office said that King Charles III had greeted Herzog and commended him for his mediation efforts.