Protest groups turn up heat on ‘messianic’ settlers accused of driving overhaul

The various protest movements fighting the government’s judicial overhaul agenda have in recent weeks increased their focus on West Bank settlers and religious Zionist backers of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition, accusing them of seeking to clamp down on the judiciary in order to advance their radical “messianic” agenda.

At rallies and in online campaigns, activists have accused  “extremist” elements within the communities of playing a central role in the coalition’s far-reaching legal overhaul program, allegedly in order to remove checks and balances over government activity and thereby allowing them to advance legislation anathema to liberal Israel.

Demonstrations have been held outside the homes of senior politicians from the ultranationalist Religious Zionism party deep in the West Bank, while social media videos and other posts have highlighted the radical activities of far-right, religious activists and government ministers. READ MORE