Thousands of Israelis took to the streets to protest against the new government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Protesters in Tel Aviv held placards reading “Democracy in danger” and “Together against fascism.” Protesters called for peace and coexistence between the country’s Jewish and Palestinian residents.
After winning the Nov. 1 election, Netanyahu took office late last month. He heads a coalition made up of far-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties.
Among the senior officials is a politician who late last year admitted to tax evasion and a group of far-right figures, including a politician who once kept at home a portrait of a man who massacred many Palestinian worshippers.
Critics accused the government of declaring war on the legal system, saying the plan would overturn Israel’s system of checks and balances and undermine democratic institutions by handing absolute power to the new ruling coalition.
Netanyahu, 73, who is still fighting court battles over corruption charges, is the longest-serving prime minister in Israeli history, leading the country from 1996-1999 and 2009-2021.