Tens of thousands of overhaul supporters rally in Tel Aviv, call for legislation to go ahead

23 July 2023, 7:08 pm

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A TV split screen shows a major demonstration in favor of the judicial overhaul in Tel Aviv (left) alongside a major anti-overhaul demonstration taking place simultaneously near the Knesset in Jerusalem, July 23, 2023 (Channel 12 screenshot)

Tens of thousands of government supporters rally at Tel Aviv’s Kaplan Street, calling for the passage of judicial overhaul legislation despite growing pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to allow the approval of any bills without broad agreement.

The pro-overhaul protest is taking place at the same time as an anti-overhaul protest near the Knesset in Jerusalem. “The right-wing has invaded Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem has been invaded by the anti-overhaul protesters,” a Channel 12 news reporter notes ironically, as the TV station shows the two demonstrations on a split screen.

Matan Peleg, one of the organizers of the pro-overhaul rally, says supporters of the reform “have exercised historic restraint.”

“You can’t crash an entire camp,” he tells Channel 12.

Matan Peleg, one of the organizers of a pro-overhaul rally in Tel Aviv, speaking to Channel 12, July 23, 2023. (Channel 12 screenshot)

He laments that most of the initial overhaul package has been halted.

“The only thing they’re talking about now is limiting reasonableness… If they don’t even give that to the national camp, we’ll enter a spiral that everyone will be very sorry about. Nobody wants that,” Peleg continues.

If the bill does not go through, it will reflect “the tyranny of the minority,” including wealthy tycoons, he says, “overruling the majority.”