Israelis hold fresh anti-regime rallies for 24th week

Tens of thousands of Israelis have held fresh anti-regime rallies across the occupied territories, denouncing the Israeli prime minister's determination to push through with a set of highly divisive "judicial reforms."

The rallies were held in Tel Aviv and other cities throughout the territories on Saturday for a 24th straight week.

Protesters were seen lighting up flares and shouting anti-regime slogans.

Some held up a huge banner emblazoned with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's picture and the words "persona non grata."

The demonstrations have been a weekly occurrence since late December when Netanyahu announced his plan to have Knesset (the Israeli parliament) rubberstamp the so-called overhaul.

Thousands demonstrate for 23rd week against extremist Israeli cabinet

Thousands-strong rallies rage on against the Israeli prime minister

The changes seek to rob the Israeli supreme court of much of its ability to rule out politicians' decisions. They will also give the political elite a bigger say in the process of selection of the court's judges.

Netanyahu's cabinet, a crossover among his Likud party and extremist and ultra-Orthodox allies, claims the changes are necessary to strike a balance in the power that is wielded by the regime's various ruling branches.

Back in March, the premier announced a "pause" in the reforms to allegedly enable negotiations on the scheme.

Netanyahu has accepted calls to delay judicial reforms plan after weeks of public protests

Under mounting pressure, after weeks of public protests, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has finally accepted calls to delay his infamous judicial reforms plan.

Opposition officials Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz, however, suspended their participation in the talks on Wednesday, after the parliament failed to elect a member of the coalition to the committee to select judges.

Cited by various news outlets, protesters, meanwhile, described the reform scheme as a ticking bomb.

"All the bills [constituting various elements of the judicial reform] are still like a bullet in the chamber that can be released in an instant. Things haven't changed," one demonstrator told AFP.

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