Live Update
From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, July 18, 2023
Thousands of protesters block Ayalon Highway, set fires

Israelis block the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv, Israel, to protest against plans by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to overhaul the judicial system, Tuesday, July 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
Thousands of anti-government protesters evade police roadblocks and manage to shut down the Ayalon Highway, the main route through Tel Aviv.
The protesters close the road in the southbound direction near the Rokah interchange, apparently surprising police who were stationed near the main protest on Kaplan Street where tens of thousands had gathered.
Several of the protesters set fires on the highway, but police put them out.