In Israel, Large Protests Against Proposed Judiciary Changes

In Israel, Large Protests Against Proposed Judiciary Changes

Tens of thousands of Israelis protested outside parliament Monday to show their opposition¹ to government plans to reshape the country's judiciary.

Some demonstrators carried flags and blew horns. Others shouted "democracy" and "no to dictatorship."

The large protest took place outside the Knesset, Israel's parliament building in Jerusalem. Other large demonstrations² were held in other cities.

The administration of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has proposed changes to the country's Supreme³ Court. Protests over the plans have been going on for weeks. The demonstrations have been supported by some influential⁴ business leaders and former military officials.

The government plans would give the prime minister greater control over judicial⁵ appointments. Experts say the process would weaken the Supreme Court's ability to rule against government leaders.

The Knesset's Constitutional Committee voted Monday to move the first official version of the plan forward. Several lawmakers were thrown out of the building after trying to delay the legislative⁶ process, Reuters news agency reported.

"They hear our cry. They hear the strong voice of truth," opposition leader Yair Lapid said to the crowd outside of parliament. "They hear it and they're afraid."

Netanyahu and his supporters say the proposed changes are needed to limit a judiciary that has become too powerful. But his critics say the changes would ruin Israeli democracy. Critics have also suggested that Netanyahu has a conflict of interest. He currently is on trial for a series of corruption⁷ charges.

Organizers claimed at least 100,000 people protested at the Knesset. Members of opposition parties gave speeches to the crowd which included Arabs, women and LGBTQ activists⁸.

Thousands of people arrived in Jerusalem by train. Hundreds of others gathered for a protest at Jerusalem's Western Wall – Judaism's holiest place – before marching toward the Knesset.

Although Netanyahu and his allies have a majority alliance, it is not clear when the full parliament will begin debating the legislation.

Netanyahu issued a video accusing his political opponents of starting unrest and purposefully pushing the country "into anarchy⁹."

But Netanyahu noted¹⁰ there is still a way to reach a compromise. "Most citizens of Israel don't want anarchy. They want a substantive¹¹ dialogue and in the end they want unity¹²."

At a joint¹³ press conference at the Knesset, former defense¹⁴ minister Benny Gantz said opposition party leaders remained united "against the targeted assassination¹⁵ of democracy."

Netanyahu and his allies took office in December after the country's fifth election in four years. That election centered on Netanyahu's fitness for office at a time when he was facing serious criminal charges.

Netanyahu has criticized the country's police, prosecutors¹⁷ and judges and said he is the victim of efforts to push him out of office. His critics say the proposed legal changes will destroy Israel's democratic system of checks and balances.

Words in This Story

horn –n. a noise-making device

anarchy –n. a state in which people are not controlled by laws or rules

substantive – adj. important or serious

dialogue – n. a formal discussion between countries or groups of people

assassination – n. the killing¹⁸ of someone important or famous

prosecutor¹⁶ – n. a lawyer who prosecutes¹⁹ people

checks and balances – n. rules meant to prevent one person or group from having too much power within an organization

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

3 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

4 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

5 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

6 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

7 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

8 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 anarchy   

n.无政府状态；社会秩序混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• There would be anarchy if we had no police.要是没有警察，社会就会无法无天。
• The country was thrown into a state of anarchy.这国家那时一下子陷入无政府状态。

10 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

11 substantive   

adj.表示实在的；本质的、实质性的；独立的；n.实词，实名词；独立存在的实体

参考例句：

• They plan to meet again in Rome very soon to begin substantive negotiations.他们计划不久在罗马再次会晤以开始实质性的谈判。
• A president needs substantive advice,but he also requires emotional succor. 一个总统需要实质性的建议，但也需要感情上的支持。

12 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

13 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

14 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

15 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。

16 prosecutor   

n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人

参考例句：

• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
• The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。

17 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

18 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

19 prosecutes   

检举、告发某人( prosecute的第三人称单数 )； 对某人提起公诉； 继续从事（某事物）； 担任控方律师

参考例句：

• In Great Britain, the Attorney General prosecutes for the Grown in certain cases. 在英国，检察总长在某些案件中代表王室进行公诉。 来自口语例句