By Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D
JERUSALEM — There were 150,000 Israelis demonstrating in support of judicial reform. That’s about as big of a crowd as provided by opponents.
So it’s close to a tied score.
Right-wing extremists are excited. Yari Levin, Bezalel Smotrich, Itamar Ben-Gvir, and Simcha Rothman are pressing for action.
Reports from before this demonstration showed that the committee meeting with the president to reach a decision has been deadlocked.
The Knesset majority of the extremists is small, and the polls have been showing weakness in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s support. However, if Likud et al could produce a demonstration of 150,000 they can also produce numbers if a national vote is on tap.
Buses were arranged to bring people to the demonstration, but there has also been central organization for the organization of those opposed.
It’s time for serious negotiations. Or an extended period of stand off. Or, hopefully not, a bit of violence.
U.S. politics are also in the picture. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has come to Israel, and expressed support while looking for support for his own campaign against Donald Trump and President Joe Biden. They’re all competing, and expressing a pro-Israel position. Both Israeli and American politics seem close to a tie, and will be watched as they twist and turn.
What can we do, but wait and see.
Now there have been demonstrations against judicial reform. At least, if not more than those demonstrating for the reform.
And comments from within Likud of a split between Netanyahu and Levin. Several Likudniks have stood against the extremism of Levin’s speech before the earlier crowd.
Also, hints of other splits within Likud, and indications that Bibi seems tired, perhaps worn out. But so far no obvious alternative to him.
Bibi is almost 74, and has been prime minister on and off since 1996.
Yet he’s a young man, compared to the U.S. president and his prominent competitor. Biden is 79 and Trump 76.
In any case, the judicial reform is not yet on the Knesset table. First comes the enactment of a budget, along with many quarrels about prices of this and that.
There’ll be lots of arguing among the politicians, as well as among commentators.