Global Courant
JERUSALEM
Israeli police arrested 19 protesters Monday in West Jerusalem during protests against controversial judicial reform bills.
Protests were held around the Knesset (parliament) building in West Jerusalem. Here, the “Limiting Reasonableness” law, one of eight bills passed by the government, is being voted on.
“Police continue to work with major forces to maintain order in the protests in various places in the Knesset region and in the face of rioters, some of whom are rioting and disobeying police orders,” the police said in a statement.
Police also said that 15 protesters in the Knesset region were arrested “for violating order, blocking roads, trying to break through police barriers and disobeying police orders”.
In the statement, it was stated that one of the detained had hit the police.
The statement said, “Police arrested a suspect in connection with the attack on (Women’s Development) Minister May Golan at a hotel in Jerusalem, and three suspects were arrested, who closed the exit door of Economy Minister Nir Barkat’s house in the morning.”
In the statement, it was stated that 3 police officers injured in the protests were also hospitalized.
Demonstrators raised Israeli flags and chanted anti-government slogans.
MPs in the Knesset discuss judicial overhaul before voting.
The bill would prevent Israeli courts, including the Supreme Court, from applying what is known as the “standard of reasonableness” to decisions made by elected officials.
The government says the package is aimed at restoring power to elected officials, but critics argue it’s a usurpation of power by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was tried on corruption charges and was discharged from the hospital earlier in the day after undergoing emergency heart surgery.
The judicial overhaul plan divided Israel, and there was unprecedented opposition from different quarters, including the military and business.
* Written by: Mahmoud Barakat
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