Masses expected at 36th week of anti-overhaul protests ahead of key court showdown

Tens of thousands of Israelis were expected to protest throughout the country Saturday against the coalition’s judicial overhaul legislation for a 36th straight week, ahead of a key showdown in the courts next week.

Organizers said the demonstration would “provide an answer to Ohana,” a reference to a speech by Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana this week, in which Ohana suggested the coalition may not accept a High Court of Justice ruling next week if it strikes down the recently passed controversial “reasonableness” law. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu retweeted a video of the speech.

An unprecedented full 15-justice panel of the High Court is slated to hear the petitions against the law on September 12. A variety of government ministers and other figures have warned of the potential for chaos if the court strikes down the law passed by the Knesset to curb the court’s authority, setting up a potential constitutional crisis. READ MORE