Israelis protest Netanyahu's legal overhaul plans for ninth week in a row

Tens of thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets in a ninth week of protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s controversial plans to overhaul the country’s legal system.

Mr Netanyahu‘s far-right government is pressing ahead with plans that critics fear would weaken the Supreme Court, limit judges’ powers and threaten democratic institutions.

The prime minister is currently on trial for corruption, fraud and breach of trust charges. He and his allies say the proposed changes will rein in an unelected judiciary.

The plans were proposed in January, weeks after Mr Netanyahu’s ultranationalist coalition was sworn in.

Since then, increasing numbers have taken to the streets in weekly protests.

The largest protests on Saturday were in Tel Aviv, where protesters waved flags depicting the prime minister as various dictators. Other demonstrators waved Palestinian and rainbow flags.

The protests turned violent for the first time this week when Israeli police fired stun grenades and water cannons at protestors who blocked a Tel Aviv highway on Wednesday.

Uniting a divided country

It is very noticeable at the demonstrations that Israelis, from all sections of society, are there: religious and secular, old and young, private sector workers and public sector workers, right-wing and left-wing.

Israel is a very divided country right now, but at the same time, this is a movement that is bringing traditional divisions together.

The Israeli President, Isaac Herzog, has called for dialogue and compromise. So far Prime Minister Netanyahu has refused.

The hard right-wing has wanted these reforms for years; now that they are in government, they’re unlikely to give up, whatever the consequences.

There were also scuffles between police and protesters near Mr Netanyahu’s home.

One of the protestors on Saturday, a 53-year-old history teacher Ronen Cohen, said: “I came to demonstrate against the regime revolution, which the Israeli government forced upon us. I hope that this huge demonstration will affect and prove that we are not going to give up.”

“There’s a great danger that Israel will turn into a dictatorship,” said Ophir Kubitsky, a 68-year-old high school teacher. “We came here to demonstrate over and over again until we win.”