Anti-overhaul protesters form human chain from Western Wall to Knesset as legislative debate begins on controversial bill

Thousands of Israeli protesters on Sunday morning formed a human chain stretching from the Old City's Western Wall at the Temple Mount all the way to the Knesset building, located in the heart of Jerusalem.

Many protesters at the wall donned tefillin and kippot, joining hundreds of religious Jews for morning prayers at the sacred site before joining in the human chain.

National Unity party leader Benny Gantz also attended prayers at the wall, while joining the protesters. He told local Israeli N12 news, “There is a rift in the nation, and it must be treated. Netanyahu must stop the legislation.”

Ynet news reported that Gantz offered to reach a compromise on the Reasonableness Standard Bill if the coalition agrees to a freeze on the rest of the judicial reforms for a year and a half. Netanyahu's ultra-Orthodox Likud party, the ruling coalition, is reportedly only willing to agree to a 6-month freeze.

Israeli police announced the closure of several streets in Jerusalem, saying that drivers should expect periodic closures of other streets throughout the day because of protest events across the capital city.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid was seen entering the offices of Israel's largest labor union, Histadrut, on Sunday morning, following an emergency meeting where the union threatened a potential nationwide strike if a compromise solution is not found by 4 p.m. on Sunday. Histadrut warned of a second general labor strike if the controversial Reasonableness Standard Bill is not halted.

“We will do everything, including strike as per the law, in order to prevent unilateral legislation that grievously harms the economy,” representatives from the labor union said Sunday morning.

Sunday’s protest events follow a four-day march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem by protesters hoping to stop the judicial reforms.

Israel Police Chief Kobi Shabtai and Jerusalem District Police Commander Doron Turgeman went to Gan Sacher Park in central Jerusalem to inspect the tents set up for the protesters. Shabtai said he wanted to ensure the security of the site.

Along the way, he stopped to speak with protesters and police officers.

In response to a Brothers in Arms activist who shouted that the police should be protecting protesters instead of beating them, Shabtai replied, “There is no event, there is no night that is not investigated.”

“We are out here this morning to protect you and ensure that you can carry out this event.”

Shabtai condemned the violence in the Tel Aviv protests on Saturday night, where he said, protesters, “poured oil on the street and burned tires.” He called such behavior unacceptable.

Large protests are planned for Sunday evening in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and various other cities across Israel.