Protests continue for 24th week, Israeli Bar elections this week may impact Judicial Selection Committee

Protests against the coalition’s judicial reforms resumed on Saturday evening, marking the 24th week of protests since the judicial reforms were first announced.

The main demonstration once again took place on Kaplan Street in Tel Aviv’s busy city center last night, with former Justice Minister and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and interim Israeli Bar Association chairperson, Amit Becher as speakers.

Becher is at the center of the fight to control the composition of the Judicial Selection Committee and serves as the interim chair for Israel’s Bar Association following the resignation of the previous chair, Avi Himi, due to sexual harassment charges.

In May, following a speech at a protest event, Deputy Bar chairperson Itzhak Natovich sent a letter to Becher urging him not to engage in politics, however, Becher is allegedly running for the chair position. Natovich was previously in the running for the position but recently joined political parties with another former Bar Association chair who holds similar views to the coalition.

During the protest, Becher said the coalition’s attempt to delay the establishment of the Judicial Selection Committee by postponing the vote was “an attempt to destroy the independence of the judicial system, to appoint political judges and to control the president of the Supreme Court and destroy democracy.”

Protest leaders also spoke out against Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin after his social media post stating that he is “more determined than ever to do everything possible to pass the necessary reform, to fix the judicial system.”

Some called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take action against Levin, saying that “Netanyahu must fire Levin, who has destroyed the economy and is tearing the people apart.”

"Acting Prime Minister Yariv Levin is playing with Netanyahu, and he will not let the judicial system go until it is dismantled," Brothers in Arms protest group leaders said.

"Levin does not understand that with his words he is pouring gasoline on the protest and is lighting the fire himself that will stop the existential danger of dismantling the justice system. Our fire is stronger than ever, together we stopped the regime coup; we are determined, growing and strengthening."

These protests come following the drama in the Knesset on Wednesday, with the election of opposition representative Karine Elharrar to the Judicial Selection Committee. No coalition representative was chosen.

Following the vote, opposition leaders Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz made a joint announcement that as long as the committee does not convene, there will be no negotiations at the president's residence.