Associated Press, March 1, 2023
Weeks of anti-government protests in Israel turned violent on Wednesday for the first time as police fired stun grenades and a water cannon at demonstrators who blocked a Tel Aviv highway. The crackdown came shortly after Israel’s hard-line security minister urged a tough response to what he said were “anarchists.”
The violence came as thousands across the country launched a “national disruption day” against the government’s plan to overhaul Israel’s judicial system. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s allies say the program is meant reduce the influence of unelected judges.
But critics, including influential business leaders and former military figures, say Netanyahu is pushing the country toward authoritarian rule and has a clear conflict of interest in targeting judges as he stands trial on corruption charges.
