From the Liveblog of
Monday, March 27, 2023
‘They’re stealing the election from us’: Thousands of overhaul backers rally in Jerusalem
Carrie Keller-Lynn is a former political and legal correspondent for The Times of Israel
With signs reading “second class citizen” and “they’re stealing the election from us,” thousands of pro-judicial shakeup demonstrators gather on Jerusalem’s Rabin Street.
In a sea of Israeli flags, it’s hard to pick apart pro- from anti-overhaul demonstrators, but the sides are gently guided by police into blocking opposite sides of the thoroughfare.
Spontaneous, but often similar, conversations erupt between protesters on both sides of the divide, as each tries to make its case.
“You need to remember diversity is the answer to everything,” one supporter of judicial change explains to an anti-overhaul demonstrator, arguing in favor of the coalition’s push to diversify the High Court, which critics say will politicize it.
“We keep electing right-wing, but getting left-wing decisions,” he adds, echoing a common refrain on the right.
His conversation partner endeavors to explain that rights are best protected by checks and balances, rather than periodically swapping power among political majorities.
