Tens of thousands of Israelis have continued to protest against the reform of the justice system. Opponents consider the reform a threat to the country’s democracy.
Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu will have surgery today to install a pacemaker, the Prime Minister’s Office said early Sunday.
The 73-year-old prime minister was hospitalized a week ago. At the time, it was said that the cause was dehydration.
According to the Chancellery, Netanyahu will be fitted with a pacemaker at the Sheba Hospital in the Tel Aviv area.
The Chancellery announces that the Prime Minister will be under anesthesia during the operation, which will be performed by the country’s Minister of Justice and Deputy Prime Minister Yariv Levin acts as his deputy.
The head of the heart disease department at the hospital that treated Netanyahu on Sunday of last week said that tests have been performed on the prime minister, which show that he is in excellent health. The director also said that Netanyahu has been fitted with a subcutaneous Holter implant in connection with the tests, in order to continue monitoring his health.
Large demonstrations continued
Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered again on Saturday in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to protest against the controversial justice system reform. There were also smaller demonstrations in other parts of the country.
Demonstrators arrived in Jerusalem on Saturday night after a several-day march that started in Tel Aviv. Demonstrations were seen at least in front of the Parliament, the Supreme Court and the Prime Minister’s official residence.
In the city of Tel Aviv, thousands of protesters gathered to repeat their cries for democracy.
The justice system reform divides Israelis
The reform is scheduled to be voted on for the last time on Monday. At that time, the parliament will vote to remove the so-called “reasonableness clause”. It allows the Supreme Court to overturn the government’s decisions.
Other proposed reforms include giving the government more say in the appointment of judges.
The law reform would weaken the position of the Supreme Court as a legal guardian and increase the government’s power over the judiciary. Opponents see the reform as a threat to Israeli democracy.
The reforms have also received international criticism, for example from the President of the United States From Joe Biden.
The reform was put on hold in March during negotiations between the government and the opposition. Attempts at negotiations failed, however, and the Netanyahu-led administration decided to continue with the controversial reform. According to the government, the changes are necessary to ensure a better balance of power.