Israelis start a march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem to protest against judicial reform

Approximately 250 Israelis took to the road connecting Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on Wednesday to express their opposition to the controversial judicial system reform proposed by Benjamin Netanyahu's government.

Shikma Bressler, the leader of the protest movement, stated, "We must take decisive action in response to the progress of this reform. We need your support, so join us." 

The march was organized in response to the thousands of Israelis who rallied the previous night, blocking train stations and roads, to denounce the judicial reform project.

Critics argue that the reform, put forth by Netanyahu's right-wing and far-right government, poses a threat to democracy. Last week, the Knesset approved an amendment in its initial reading that eliminates the judiciary's ability to rule on the government's decisions based on "reasonableness." One of the march organizers, Moshe Radman, a 38-year-old high-tech employee, explained that the crowd, which set out from Tel Aviv 70 kilometers away, plans to reach Jerusalem by Saturday evening and establish tents around the Knesset.

Radman stated, "We intend to be present on Sunday morning when the Knesset votes on the item to remove the reasonableness clause in the second and third readings. We hope that the government of Israel will listen to the people and halt their destructive plans."

In January, this clause led to the dismissal of Aryeh Deri, the government's second-in-command, after the Supreme Court intervened due to his conviction for tax evasion.

The government's reform, supported by the most right-wing party in Israel's history, aims to prioritize the power of lawmakers over that of judges.

While the government argues that this will create a better balance of power, critics view it as a threat to democracy and its institutional safeguards.