Week37: Thousands Protested Against the Legal Revolution before Netanyahu's trip to the UN

Amidst a legal revolution that has been brewing in Kaplan for weeks, protesters took to the streets to bid farewell to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he embarked on a trip to the United Nations Assembly in New York. This Saturday, in a departure from previous demonstrations, there were no speeches or stages; instead, demonstrators marched from Rothschild Street to Kaplan, where they boarded shuttles to the planned demonstration in Israel.

The "farewell" demonstration was organized by Kaplan Force, one of the protest leaders, and it unfolded with a sense of solemnity. The protesters unfurled the "Proclamation of Independence," evoking the controversy surrounding Attorney Ilan Bombach's recent remarks during a High Court hearing on the cancellation of the reasonableness doctrine. At the forefront of the march, a banner declared, "The Dictatorship Will Collapse."

Meanwhile, discussions were underway at the National Airport to prepare for the expected protests as Netanyahu's departure time neared. Airlines decided to open check-in desks earlier to ensure passenger comfort and increase train services to accommodate the influx of travelers. Demonstrators had already gathered at the terminal and were heard chanting, "Bibi is not invited to the White House." Two distinct protests emerged, one on the upper floor outside the departure hall and the other on the lower floor outside the landing hall.

As the clock approached midnight, Benjamin Netanyahu's flight to the United States took off, ahead of his scheduled appearance at the UN assembly. Organizers of the protests issued a statement, saying, "Before he meets the protesters who are waiting for him both on the West and East coasts, we will also say goodbye to him in Israel and remind him that Israel will not be a dictatorship."

The protesters had earlier planned a "victory march" departing from Rothschild Street in Tel Aviv, with shuttles departing from Hashmonaim Street in preparation for the demonstration. Demonstrators were encouraged to wear white attire, symbolizing their commitment to the Declaration of Independence. In a statement, they declared, "Faced with an extremist government that renounces the Declaration of Independence, we will stand up in masses of patriotism and patriots with the Declaration of Independence, and we will go on a huge march to make it clear to those who try to trample on the fundamental values of the country that democracy will defeat the dictatorship."

Simultaneously, other weekly protests took place across the country, with thousands of demonstrators filling the streets. The police blocked the Science Park intersection, but the atmosphere remained "celebratory" in honor of Rosh Hashanah, carrying an optimistic message: "This year will be beautiful and different." Thousands also gathered at the Karkur intersection on Route 65, in Ra'anana, and hundreds at the Ogun intersection near Mishmar Hasharon. Former minister Matan Vilnai addressed a demonstration in Kfar Saba, stating, "Here too we will win thanks to you, the fighters on the ground."

Addressing the crowd, Chairman of the Bar Association, Adv. Amit Bachar, commented on the initiative of the Chairman of the Knesset, MK Amir Ohana, to establish a Constitutional Court. Bachar emphasized, "He wants to establish a constitutional court? That he will respect and make sure that there is a constitution first, that will guarantee the future of democracy and the rights of the citizens to protect their rights against the elected government."