Hundreds of Thousands Protest Against Legal Reform in Israel

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - About 500,000 people have participated in yet another nationwide protest against the controversial Israeli judicial reform, The Times of Israel reports citing the organizers of the demonstrations.

Israelis have been holding weekly protests against the reform.

The Times of Israel said on Saturday that about 250,000 attended the evening protest in Tel Aviv, while in total, about 500,000 participated in nationwide rallies on Saturday. Protests were held near the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, and in the cities of Ra’anana and Ashdod.

At least three demonstrators were arrested on Saturday during the protest along Tel Aviv’s Ayalon Highway, the newspaper said citing police. Arrests were also made in the coastal city of Netanya and in Hadera.

On Thursday, thousands of people protested across Israel against the government's judicial reform.

In January, Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin rolled out a legal reform package that would limit the authority of the Supreme Court by giving the cabinet control over the selection of new judges, as well as allowing the Knesset to override the court's rulings with an absolute majority.

In mid-February, the Israeli parliament approved the first part of the legislation. The second half was approved by the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee of the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, at the beginning of March.

The reform's opponents argue it will undermine democracy in Israel and put the country on the verge of a social and constitutional crisis.