Israelis protest judicial overhaul in Tel Aviv ahead of pivotal Court hearing

(9 Sep 2023) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS Tel Aviv - 9 September 2023 NIGHT SHOTS 1. Various of protesters in front of banner reading (English) “Crime Minister“ 2. Herzl Tobey, an Israeli from Tel Aviv, walking toward camera 3. SOUNDBITE (English) Herzl Tobey, Tel Aviv resident: “I’m here to protest against the government, and I came with a hat that I, conceived of which actually was inspired by the hat that was conceived of in America, of ’make lying wrong again’. So there’s ’make America great again,’ and then I saw a blue hat saying ’make lying wrong again,’ and I liked that because that time Netanyahu was being interviewed abroad all the time, and lying to them consistently, and so I conceived of this because it was in the consciousness of the country, how much of a liar that man is. How unabashedly he will lie to journalists, he will lie to other leaders who are not as aware of what he is doing as we are here. That is why he won’t be interviewed in Israel. He refuses to get interviewed in Israel because here they know what he’s doing through and through and in America and Europe, they’re not fully aware of what he’s doing and therefore he can lie and beguile and cheat and misinform and so I conceived this hat which says ’do not lie’.” 4. Tobey walking away from camera 5. Close of a sign reading (English) “Beware of snakes“ and “A Lie is the Liar’s best friend“ 6. Ori Mandel, an Israeli from Tel Aviv, walking toward the camera with a friend 7. SOUNDBITE (English) Ori Mandel, Tel Aviv resident: “So we are here to save Israel’s democracy. It’s about to crumble, that’s at least what it feels like and that’s what the politicians keep trying to deny. They’re about to pass a huge law which is going to allow discrimination against many people and minority groups and we’re here to help, we’re here trying to help. It feels very desperate, it’s been many weeks and the fight doesn’t stop. We still go every week and it’s a really important cause, so we’re here.“ 8. Mandel walking away with friend 9. Wide of protesters cheering and waving flags STORYLINE: Israelis demonstrated in Tel Aviv again on Saturday against a judicial overhaul plan spearheaded by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right allies. Protesters chanted and waved Israeli flags in front of a banner emblazoned with the words “Crime Minister“ next to a picture of Netanyahu. The country’s gaze will soon shift from the protests to the Court. On Tuesday, the judiciary is set to hear a pivotal case on the legality of the first bill of the overhaul, which passed Israeli parliament in July. The bill, legal experts say, will severely limit the ability of the judiciary to strike down appointments and decisions made by the coalition in power. If the court strikes down the bill and asserts its own power, the country could be headed toward a constitutional crisis. Protesters, who come from a wide swath of Israeli society, say that the Court must have the power to rein in the coalition in power. They fear that without the judiciary’s ability to check the decisions of parliament, Netanyahu’s coalition could roll back minority rights and move toward annexing the West Bank. Tel Aviv resident Ori Mandel said that demonstrators are there to “to save Israel’s democracy.“ AP video by Shlomo Mor =========================================================== Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel 44(0)2074827482 Email: info@. Find out more about AP Archive: Twitter: Facebook: ​​ Instagram: You can license this story through AP Archive: