Jerusalem – Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered in the central city of Tel Aviv Saturday, protesting proposed legislation granting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immunity from prosecution on a series of corruption charges.
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The protesters outside the city’s Museum of Art also called for protecting Israel’s democratic identity against government overreach.
The rally was a show of force by the new opposition parties a month after Netanyahu was re-elected to his fourth successive term as prime minister.
Yair Lapid of Israel’s Blue and White party compared Netanyahu’s efforts to consolidate his power to Turkey’s authoritarian President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“We won’t let you be Erdogan. We won’t have a Turkish dictator. We won’t allow it,” Laid said, addressing Netanyahu.
Some demonstrators wore Ottoman-style fez hats, a reference to Turkey, and waved Israeli flags and banners calling for “keeping Israel free.”
The demonstrators say Netanyahu’s incoming coalition is pushing for legislation to shield him from prosecution and is looking to restrict the power of the Supreme Court. Netanyahu is in the final stages of forming a new coalition government.
“We are not your subjects. We won’t let you destroy the Supreme Court. You are not above the law,” Lapid told the crowds.
In February, Israel’s attorney general decided to indict Netanyahu on corruption charges, pending a final hearing.
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The fake news and so called justice system in Israel makes our system look clean. It’s completely rotten and agenda driven from head to toe. It’s been like this for years making a tzimus about every tiny thing. It’s how the mafia got deri. If you really go back to the country’s obsession with eifa yossela where instead of grabbing mengele yimach shimo they moved resources to chap yossela for their agenda. Let’s put things in perspective I can hear ab argument to investigate trump. We all know he ain’t kosher. ( although that’s over) But Bibi? Come on he ain’t a corrupt individual
This shows what happens when you’re a sore loser plus not religious.