Posted on 07/22/23
| News Source: JPost
Tens of thousands of protestors against the government's judicial reforms arrived at the Knesset in Jerusalem on Saturday afternoon ahead of a vote on the reform set to take place on Monday after marching through extreme heat, some for a number of days. The march began on Tuesday in Tel Aviv, and the number of marchers swelled throughout the weekend.
The protestors marched on Highway 1 during some of the segments, causing congestion and leading to police deployment. During most of the march on Saturday, the marchers occupied one lane on the highway, and two other lanes remained open.
The Israel Police put the estimated number of marchers at between 35,000-40,000. Drone footage showed the marchers extending for almost one kilometer.
Opposition leader MK Yair Lapid joined the marchers during the final ascent to the entrance to Jerusalem.
The march ended outside of the Knesset at dusk on Saturday. The protestors are scheduled to camp out in tents in the nearby Sacher Park and continue to demonstrate throughout Jerusalem ahead of the vote on the pending reasonableness standard bill on Monday afternoon. Protestors said they will be calling the tent camp the "Fortress of Democracy."
Former chief justices and current business leaders attended the rally outside of the Knesset at the end of the march. Protest groups made up of hi-tech workers, lawyers, academics, doctors, and others announced that they will join the protests in Jerusalem on Sunday.
"We will not give up and we will not cave to the government's attempts to discourage the protests. Until Netanyahu stops this overhaul, we will be here. We invite all those who participated in the march to Jerusalem to join us," the Student Protest Movement said in a statement as volunteers began building tents at Sacher Park.
Along the highway during the march, vehicles parked on the side were turned into impromptu hydration and snack stations for those marching through the extreme heatwave. Sporting colorful signs that read "democracy", the stands were ways that community members could support each other.
Water, lemonade, cakes and cookies, and the like were made available to those on the march, Hebrew media reported. In the last five days, businesses and private individuals came to provide their contributions as well.
At the entrance to Jerusalem, dozens of ultra-orthodox (haredi) people observed the march from the sidewalks. Some offered the marchers water.