BIG shopping centers to join Tuesday’s nationwide protest against judicial reform

The Israeli shopping center chain BIG has announced its intention to join the looming nationwide protest this Tuesday if the Knesset votes to pass a highly-criticized bill associated with the government’s judicial reform plans during its first reading on Monday.

“In order to protest unusually and prevent the passing of the legislation, we will participate in the shutdown day planned for Tuesday,” the Big Group announced.

The bill is an amendment that would block Israel’s courts from applying what is known as the “Reasonableness Standard” to decisions made by elected officials, which enables judicial review against government decisions that are deemed beyond the scope of what a responsible and reasonable authority would undertake.

A counter-protest boycott of BIG shopping centers has been launched by some of those in favor of the bill, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.

“I am also boycotting the Big Group until they retract and apologize. Business owners who interfere politically and boycott half the people deserve condemnation from all shades of the political spectrum,” he said.

Protests against the judicial reform at Kaplan Street in Tel Aviv, May 27, 2023. (credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/MAARIV)

The 27th consecutive weekly protest against the judicial reform took place on Saturday night, with thousands of Israeli residents emerging in order to speak out against the legal reform promoted by the government, which aims to undermine the legal authority of Israel’s High Court, thereby concentrating the power of Israel’s Knesset members.

Tuesday’s upcoming protest 

Protest leaders have called for a protest of “unprecedented” levels to take place on Tuesday, should the legislation pass its first reading vote on Monday night. “On Tuesday there will be a protest that has not been seen like it all over Israel,” they stated.

“The people of Israel do not want a dictatorship, and do not want one-sided dictatorial and dangerous legislation that will crash the economy, harm security and tear apart the people,” they said.

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