Thousands of Israelis demonstrated on Saturday in Tel Aviv and other cities against the hard-right government’s judicial overhaul opponents see as a threat to democracy.
The reform package has split the nation and triggered one of the biggest protest movements in Israel’s history since being unveiled in January by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition, which includes extreme-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties.
Demonstrators have kept up pressure on the Netanyahu government with weekly protests across the country.
Several thousand protesters gathered on Saturday in the commercial hub Tel Aviv, Israeli media reported. Some were waving Israeli flags and chanting “Democracy, democracy.”
The government views the reform, which would give politicians more power over the courts, as a necessary step to curb overreach by unelected judges.
Opponents of the overhaul fear it may lead to more authoritarian government.
Parliament last month passed the first key component of the reform package, which limits judicial oversight of some government decisions.
Netanyahu, who is fighting corruption charges in court, has said he would be willing to negotiate with the opposition though previous mediation efforts have failed.
In any case, the legislation will not move forward before parliament returns from summer recess in October.
Kim Jong Un Tells North Korea Arms Factories To Boost Capacity
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has instructed factories making missile engines, artillery and other weapons to boost capacity as an important part of bolstering the country’s defense capabilities, state media said on Sunday.
Kim’s inspections from Thursday to Saturday included the production of engines for strategic cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as shells for super large-caliber multiple-rocket launchers and transporter-erector-launchers, said state news agency KCNA.
His unusual visits to multiple arms production facilities over several days come as Pyongyang pushes to develop various strategic and conventional weapons and holds prominent displays of a range of arms.
The launchers Kim inspected are normally used to fire ballistic missiles.
North Korea has tested rocket launchers for larger caliber shells, advanced cruise missiles and last month its newest ballistic missiles, including a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile.
Kim cited improved precision processing and modernised automation in the production of large-caliber multiple-rocket launcher shells, KCNA said.
He called for the mass production of “various kinds of cutting-edge strategic weapon engines… and thus make a great contribution to bringing about a revolution in developing new strategic weapons of our style,” the agency said.
Photos showed Kim firing different types of assault rifles, with fiery blasts coming off the muzzle as he took aim at a target that was out of frame.
Cheong Seong-chang, an expert on North Korea’s political strategy at the Sejong Institute near Seoul, said Kim is likely focused on modernization and technical innovation of weapons that will help with the export of arms to Russia.
Marking the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War on July 27, Pyongyang held a major military parade displaying its newest nuclear-capable missiles and attack and spy drones, with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and a senior Chinese official joining Kim in the reviewing stand.
At a large defense exhibition, Kim gave Shoigu a tour of the display of ballistic missiles and what appeared to be a new drone.
The United States has accused North Korea of providing arms to Russia for its war in Ukraine, including a “significant” number of artillery shells, as well as a shipment of infantry rockets and missiles to Russia’s mercenary Wagner Group.
Russia and North Korea have denied those claims.