The best way to gauge the success of Saturday night’s protests in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa against the Netanyahu government’s plan to turn Israel into Hungary, is to examine Netanyahu’s response to them.
Even the prime minister couldn’t ignore the powerful images of tens of thousands of Israelis standing in drizzling rain with protest signs and umbrellas. It was a picture of determination which led Netanyahu, in an attempt to downplay the significance of this resistance to his policies, to call the election that took place two-and-a-half months ago “the largest demonstration of all."
The protesters have clearly caught Netanyahu’s attention. But that by itself is not a strategy for stopping the impending plan to weaken Israel’s judiciary, turn the government’s legal advisers into political puppets, and give absolute, unrestrained power to the governing coalition. The biggest question after this weekend has to be: what’s next?
There are no easy answers. One option being floated is that the center-right elements of the opposition, most notably the party of former Defense Minister Benny Gantz, should publish its own legal reform plan – a moderate, reasonable, responsible one, unlike the destructive overhaul pushed by Justice Minister Yariv Levin.
The aim of such a step would be to encourage right-wing voters to come out against Levin’s plan by presenting to them a less divisive and harmful alternative.
Another option is to take the protests to the next level by announcing major strikes and other acts of civil disobedience. This could come with great risk, as it would increase the likelihood of a clash with the police, now controlled by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. But some in the opposition believe it’s necessary in light of how dangerous Levin’s plan is.
One element currently missing is international pressure. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides have chosen a weird policyof trying to ignore what’s happening in Israel, clinging to diplomatic clichés instead of speaking out. We’ll see how long that holds as the internal tensions keep rising even higher.
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