Thousands rally in Israel for sixth week against justice reform

Tens of thousands of Israelis rallied in central Tel Aviv Saturday for a sixth straight week against controversial legal reforms being pushed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government.

"Democracy!" protesters chanted to the beat of drums in the coastal city, with many in the vast crowd waving blue and white Israeli flags, and others carrying rainbow LGBTQ or Palestinian banners.

"We're not going to give up," some shouted.

Netanyahu returned to power following elections in November, at the head of a coalition with extreme-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties.

The proposed judicial reforms would allow Israel's parliament to overrule any Supreme Court decision with a simple majority of 61 lawmakers in the 120-seat body, as well as boost political control over the system through which judges are appointed.

A first reading of the bill is slated for Monday.

Leaders of the protest movement opposing the reforms have called for a strike on the same day.

The protests have become a weekly fixture on Saturday evenings since Netanyahu's new government -- dubbed the most right-wing in Israeli history -- took office in late December.

Defying predictions that Monday's planned strike would result in fewer protesters taking to the streets, this week's crowds appeared to be larger than in previous weeks.

While there were no official figures on turnout, Israeli media reported around 50,000 demonstrators, with the liberal daily Haaretz reporting up to 75,000.

Rallies were also held in other large cities, including outside the prime minister's residence in Jerusalem and in the northern port city of Haifa, Israeli media reported.

- 'Weaken the judiciary' -

In 2019, Netanyahu refused to step down when he became the first sitting Israeli prime minister to be indicted while in office.

Protesters called for Netanyahu, who is fighting corruption charges in court, to resign.

He denies the charges against him of bribery, fraud and breach of trust.

"Netanyahu's trial is the reason for everything," said medical worker Neta Keren-Tal. "He is trying in every way to weaken the judiciary to escape his trial."

For the first time since the start of the protests in early January, several dozen demonstrators also gathered in Efrat, an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank.

In Tel Aviv, a minute's silence was held for the three victims -- including eight and six-year-old brothers -- killed in a car ramming attack on Friday in Ramot, a Jewish settlement neighbourhood of Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.

On Saturday, a Palestinian was shot dead during a clash with Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank, south of the northern city of Nablus.

The deaths add to spiralling violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict this year that has triggered mounting international concern.