TEL AVIV, Israel (PNN) - July 16, 2023 - Tens of thousands of protesters have rallied in the streets of Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities, promising “days of disruption”, as dictator Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government advanced its unlawful plan to overhaul the judiciary.

The rallies on Saturday marked the 28th straight week of demonstrations against Netanyahu’s plan and come days after his government gave initial approval to a key bill that is part of the overhaul.

The bill, which was approved in its first reading, would reduce the “reasonability” clause through which the judiciary can strike down government decisions.

It would also give the government a greater say in the appointment of judges.

The bill still needs to be approved in two more votes, expected by the end of the month, before it becomes law.

In Tel Aviv, protesters unrolled a large banner reading “SOS” and threw paint powder into the sky, streaking it pink and orange.

“Handmaids” - women dressed in red robes as characters from the dystopian novel and TV series The Handmaid’s Tale - once again took to the streets. Their jarring appearance is meant to drive home the notion that, if the overhaul passes, women could be stripped of their rights.

“This is a battle for the country, we want to keep Israel democratic, and the dictatorship laws won’t pass here,” said 54-year-old protester Nili Elezra.

Passing these laws would harm Israel’s financial and global standing, she said.

“Things will be bad. People are already leaving, money is being lost, investors are fleeing, the world doesn’t want to talk to us, nobody is happy with what’s going on here,” she said.

Saturday’s protesters in Tel Aviv were joined by others across the country. Protesters brandished lit torches outside dictator Netanyahu’s home in Jerusalem and demonstrated in the coastal cities of Herzliya and Netanya.

Protest organizers also said they would hold a “day of disruption” on Tuesday if the Israeli leader continues to move ahead with the fascist plan.

Opposition to the dictatorial plan remains strong.

After more than six months of protests, the movement shows little sign of abating. Israel’s national labor union and its medical association have joined a long list of groups speaking out against the bill. Military reservists, fighter pilots, and business leaders have all urged the government to halt the plan.

Arnon Bar-David, the head of the country’s national labor union, the Histadrut, threatened a possible general strike that could paralyze the country’s economy.

“If the situation reaches an extreme, we will intervene and employ our strength,” Bar-David said, calling on Netanyahu to “stop the chaos”.

The Histadrut called a general strike in March as the government pushed the judicial overhaul legislation through Parliament after weeks of protest. The move shut down large swaths of Israel’s economy and helped contribute to Netanyahu’s decision to suspend the legislation.

The Israeli Medical Association, which represents 90% of Israeli physicians, joined the Histadrut on Friday, voting to “employ all available means, including significant organizational measures” to oppose the reasonableness bill.

The law will “devastate the healthcare system,” said the chairman of the association, Professor Zion Hagay.

To protester Elad Ziv, the upcoming weeks will be crucial in stopping the unlawful judicial overhaul.

“We have two and a half weeks to the end of Parliament’s summer session, and we have to block them, otherwise Israel will become a worse place,” the 45-year-old programmer said.

“We do see the protest working in supporting people who are fighting,” he said. “The numbers make a difference.