Israel: Protests against Judicial Reforms continue for 23rd week

Protests against the current government's plans to implement the judicial reforms continued throughout the country for the 23rd week in a row on Saturday evening with demonstrators raising a 200 square meter sign that stated: Type of citizen: dead in response to the 100th person killed this year as a result of crime in Arab areas in Israel.

Demonstrations were held in Dizengoff Square and Kaplan Street in Tel Aviv, as well as in Haifa. 

Speakers at Kaplan Street, the main demonstration with the largest number of participants, included Dr. Thabat Abu Ras, co-CEO of the Abraham Initiatives Association, who criticized the current government on their handling of murders and crime in Arab society.

Many roads in Tel Aviv were closed to traffic due to the protests.

"This week is important and critical. We'll have to make sure that the practice of electing an opposition member and a coalition member is preserved," the organizers of the demonstrations said, referring to the composition of the committee that will select judges once the reforms are implemented. 

Approximately 80,000 people demonstrated in Kaplan Street, according to Ynet, while a report from Walla (citing the protest organizers) states that 100,000 people protested against the judicial reform overall in Tel Aviv.

More than one thousand people demonstrated in Jerusalem in front of the President's house, Ynet reported.

At the beginning of the demonstration, protestors observed a moment of silence in memory of the 100 Arab Israeli victims this year.

At the Nahalal junction, near Highway 73, demonstrators lit 100 candles in memory of the 100 victims of violence in Arab society since the beginning of the year.

About 3,500 people participated in the demonstration.