Communist MK Urges the People to Rise Up against the Far-Right Govt’

A Communist lawmaker on Tuesday urge at the Knesset podium citizens of the nation to civil unrest against the “dictatorship” of the new Netanyahu government. MK Ofer Cassif (Hadash) was quickly removed by Knesset ushers. “In light of the current emergency situation, I call for civil unrest…” Cassif said before being interrupted by Deputy Speaker Nissim Vattori (Likud), who called on Knesset ushers to forcibly remove Cassif from the plenum.

The Hadash lawmakers present at the time then erupted in a shouting match, with Cassif and fellow opposition MKs labeling the coalition members as “fascists.” Cassif later complained that his democratic rights had been violated, and that he and the opposition would “not rest” until they brought down the far-right dictatorship currently governing Israel.

This incitement followed weeks of mass demonstrations against the government, which were themselves sparked by calls of civil disobedience. Protest leaders have called for a nationwide worker’s strike on next Monday against the government’s planned overhaul of the judicial system, an escalation in the demonstrations against the fascists proposals.  The protesters also called for a mass rally outside the Knesset in Jerusalem and protests in other cities.

Monday’s strike, which a number of protest leaders announced together in a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, will come alongside protests nationwide – in addition to the weekly Saturday night protests in Tel Aviv and many other cities. The Movement for Quality Government in Israel said it would move its Saturday night protest to Monday. The Aguda Association for LGBTQ Equality announced its intent to join the protests in Jerusalem and its support for the call to shut down the economy.

“General Strike Now”, Hadash demonstrators and Anti-Occupation Bloc activists marching in Jerusalem with red flags, Saturday evening, February 4, 2023 (Photo: Zo Haderech)

On Monday, far-right MK Simcha Rothman, chairman of the Knesset Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee, informed committee members that the coalition intends to bring parts of the plan to weaken the judicial system for a first vote within a week. The first two articles of the plan expected to go to the plenary are changing the composition of the committee responsible for selecting judges and prohibiting the Supreme Court from interfering with the Basic Laws.

On Sunday evening, thousands of women demonstrated in central Tel Aviv against the government. Among the demonstrators were MK Merav Michaeli, chairwoman of the Labor party, former Hadash MK and Communist leading activist Tamar Gozansky as well as Lihi Lapid, author and wife of opposition leader and former Prime Minister Yair Lapid. In the demonstration, which was organized by women’s rights and human rights organizations, protesters called out against the judicial overhaul planned by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Justice Minister Yariv Levin, carrying signs that read: “Wake up”.

At the beginning of the event, journalist and TV personality Dafna Lustig told the crowd of women at Habima Square: “In the last few weeks, a government was formed without us. We have no representation. Not in the cabinet, not in the Knesset committees, not in the government offices, and now they also want to change the rules of the game and we will have no one to defend us in the courts.”

Dr. Yofi Tirosh, a lawyer who fights against segregation of women in the public sphere, also spoke at the rally saying that the initiatives promoted by the government are “only the prelude to the implementation of the main plan … a plan to redesign Israeli society so that anyone who is not a man, a Jew, straight and wealthy will become a second-class citizen.” At the end of the demonstration, several hundred protesters marched on Rothschild Boulevard in the center of Tel Aviv and blocked traffic.

Sunday early, thousands of students and lecturers protested across the country against the government. Demonstrations took place, among other places, at Tel Aviv University, the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Ben Gurion University in Be’er Sheva and Haifa University.

Related: https://maki.org.il/en/?p=30830