The popular revolt continues in Israel

Thousands of people took to the squares at the call of professional groups such as non-governmental organizations, lawyers and high-tech sectors in Israel.

A minute’s silence was observed over the attack that killed 7 Israelis in an illegal Jewish settlement in occupied East Jerusalem.

The organizers of the protests in Tel Aviv announced that no music will be played on the stages during the demonstrations.

Israeli police closed the roads leading to Tel Aviv squares to traffic during the day and tight security was in place in the surrounding area.

Thousands of protesters of all ages gathered on Kaplan Street in downtown Tel Aviv, carrying Israeli flags. The demonstrators chanted “no to the dictatorship” and “democracy”.

In addition to Tel Aviv, demonstrations are taking place in Haifa in the north with the participation of about 10 thousand people. A protest demonstration is also planned in Jerusalem.

30 PALESTINIANS HAVE BEEN KILLED SINCE NEW YEAR

The protests against the policies of the Netanyahu government are taking place in an environment of increasing raids, attacks and casualties in the region.

While more than 100,000 Israelis turned out for the protest in Tel Aviv last week, it should be noted that turnout in the demonstrations dropped this week.

A 13-year-old Palestinian from the Silvan neighborhood in occupied East Jerusalem launched an armed attack on Saturday morning, wounding two Israelis.

7 people were killed and 3 wounded in an armed attack Friday night near a synagogue in a Jewish settlement in East Jerusalem.

The Israeli police announced that they pursued the attacker, who fled the scene by car, and neutralized him after the armed conflict.

9 Palestinians, including a 60-year-old woman, were killed in the morning raid by the Israeli army on the Jenin refugee camp in the north of the occupied West Bank.

In events that erupted in the region after the raid, a 22-year-old Palestinian was killed in the occupied East Jerusalem city of er-Ram.

As a result of open fire by Israeli soldiers, at least 30 Palestinians, including women and children, have been killed since the beginning of the year in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

NETANYAHU GOVERNMENT “JUDICIAL REFORM”

Justice Minister Yariv Levin announced on January 5 that they were planning a law that would limit the powers of the Supreme Court and reduce the influence of the judiciary in the selection of judges.

Moves by the Netanyahu-led coalition government to transfer some of the powers of the judiciary to parliament sparked tensions between the government and the Israeli judiciary, especially the Supreme Court.

Israel’s Supreme Court, which acts as the country’s highest judicial authority, has the power to strike down laws passed by parliament on the grounds that they violate “fundamental laws” accepted as a draft constitution.

Netanyahu’s government claimed in the court ruling that it announced it would deprive the Supreme Court of its authority to strike down laws passed by parliament.

The judiciary crisis deepened when Israel’s Supreme Court ruled on January 18 that Shas leader Arya Deri, who held multiple ministerial posts in Netanyahu’s government, could not be included in the cabinet “because he was convicted of tax crimes”. Netanyahu fired Deri after a court order last week. (AA)