Tens of thousands of Israelis have protested judicial overhaul proposals in the 17th weekly rally against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition.
The demonstrations have been ongoing since the beginning of the year, and organisers plan to continue, despite Mr Netanyahu delaying the changes last month.
The leaders of the mass protests want the proposals scrapped altogether.
Spanish Prime Minister and Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez voiced support to the Israeli anti-government protesters in a video message aired on a large screen in Tel Aviv.
“We as Socialist International have always fought for freedom, equality, justice, and democracy. Yet, as many of you know, these are values that we cannot take for granted,” Mr Sanchez said.
Protesters argue the proposed changes threaten Israel’s democratic values, hurting a system of checks and balances and concentrating authority in the hands of Netanyahu and his extremist allies.
Such changes would result in weakening the supreme court, giving parliament, which is controlled by Mr Netanyahu’s allies, authority to overturn its rulings and limiting its ability to review laws.
The protest gained support from the military’s elite reserve force, businesses, and large sectors of the Israeli community.
But on Thursday, tens of thousands of right-wing Israelis who support the legal changes flocked to Jerusalem to rally for the proposal.
