Thousands of Israelis demonstrated in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening to condemn the policies of Benjamin Netanyahu's new government, which is described as the most right-wing of Israeli governments.
The demonstrators gathered in Habima Square (downtown), holding banners saying "Leave", "Together against fascism and apartheid", "Democracy is in danger" and "This is our home".
The participants also chanted, "All citizens are equal, Jews and Arabs," "No to government-sponsored discrimination," and "Ben Gvir and Smotrich are a disaster," referring to the two ministers, Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich of the far right.
אלפים מפגינים בכיכר הבימה בת" א נגד המשלה החדשה. אלפגנה צפויים להגיע חברי הכנסת גדי איזנוט, נעמה לזימי, אימה עודה עודה עודה_Kill.com/5Kill.com
— גלצ (@GLZRadio) January 7, 2023
"We went out with thousands of amazing demonstrators to protest and chant in a clear voice: Our country cannot be destroyed! We will continue to fight for our democracy," Merav Michaeli, leader of the Israeli Labor Party, wrote on Twitter.
The new government - which was formed from the national and religious far-right parties - was sworn in on December 29, headed by Netanyahu.
Protesters gathered in central Tel Aviv (Reuters)
The government plans sweeping changes, from settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank to weakening the judiciary.
The judicial changes planned by the new Minister of Justice, Yariv Levin, are among the most prominent concerns of the protesters.
Levin seeks to enable the parliamentary majority to overturn the decisions of the Supreme Court, and plans to change the composition of the body that appoints judges.
The Netanyahu government began its term of escalation against the Palestinians, as National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and a group of settlers stormed last Tuesday the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque under the strict protection of the occupation police.