Israelis Protest Ahead of Crunch Week for Justice Reforms

 People waving Israel's national flag, take to the streets of Tel Aviv to protest against the government's controversial judicial overhaul bill, on March 25, 2023. (AFP)
People waving Israel's national flag, take to the streets of Tel Aviv to protest against the government's controversial judicial overhaul bill, on March 25, 2023. (AFP)
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Israelis Protest Ahead of Crunch Week for Justice Reforms

 People waving Israel's national flag, take to the streets of Tel Aviv to protest against the government's controversial judicial overhaul bill, on March 25, 2023. (AFP)
People waving Israel's national flag, take to the streets of Tel Aviv to protest against the government's controversial judicial overhaul bill, on March 25, 2023. (AFP)

Thousands of Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv Saturday against a controversial judicial overhaul by the hard-right government, ahead of a key week expected to see more legislative steps and mass protests.

The latest demonstration to hit Israel's commercial hub came days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to press on with the changes despite mounting international alarm.

"We're here today to show up and add our voice to the hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Israelis that support the values that this country was founded on," said high-tech worker Daniel Nisman, mentioning democracy and tolerance.

"This is all we can hope for, that he (Netanyahu) brings us back from the edge of the abyss," the 36-year-old told AFP.

Demonstrations erupted in January after the coalition announced its reform package, which the government says is necessary to rebalance powers between lawmakers and the judiciary.

Rallies have repeatedly drawn tens of thousands of protesters, according to Israeli media estimates, and an AFP journalist saw thousands already gathering in Tel Aviv early on Saturday evening.

"More Israelis are waking up," said Josh Drill, a spokesman for the Umbrella Movement of protests.

"We're not going to live in a dictatorship. Even if they do pass the judicial coup, this protest is not going anywhere," the 26-year-old told AFP ahead of the rally.

'End the rift'

Plans to hand more control to politicians and diminish the role of the Supreme Court have been questioned by Israel's top allies including the United States.

US President Joe Biden has expressed "our concerns over these proposals, these proposed judicial reforms", White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said on Wednesday.

Netanyahu was also met by hundreds of protesters in London, where he met his British counterpart Rishi Sunak on Friday.

During the talks, the British premier "stressed the importance of upholding the democratic values that underpin our relationship, including in the proposed judicial reforms", a spokesperson said.

Israeli lawmakers are due to vote on a central part of the government's proposals next week, which foresees changing the way judges are appointed.

Netanyahu said Thursday that the legislation "does not take control of the court but balances and diversifies it".

A parliamentary committee has amended the draft law with the aim of making it more palatable to opponents, but the opposition has ruled out backing any part of the reform package until all legislative steps are halted.

In response, demonstrators have announced a "national paralysis week", including countrywide rallies, protests outside ministers' homes and on Wednesday outside parliament.

In his televised address on Thursday, Netanyahu said he would do everything "to calm the situation and end the rift in the nation".

Even so, the premier said his administration remained "determined to correct and responsibly advance the democratic reform that will restore the proper balance between the authorities" by ploughing on with the overhaul.

Netanyahu came under fire a day later from Israel's attorney general, Gali Baharav-Miara, who said his public intervention was "illegal" due to his ongoing corruption trial.

The top legal official cited a previous court ruling that an indicted prime minister has no right to act on a matter that could place him in a conflict of interest.



Rubio Holds Talks with Russia’s Lavrov as Ukraine Tensions Soar

 US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, meets with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, right, on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Mandel Ngan/Pool Photo via AP)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, meets with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, right, on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Mandel Ngan/Pool Photo via AP)
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Rubio Holds Talks with Russia’s Lavrov as Ukraine Tensions Soar

 US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, meets with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, right, on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Mandel Ngan/Pool Photo via AP)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, meets with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, right, on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Mandel Ngan/Pool Photo via AP)

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Russian counterpart met Thursday in Malaysia as tensions between the countries rise over Moscow’s increasing attacks on Ukraine and whether Russia's leader is serious about a peace deal.

Rubio and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks in Kuala Lumpur on the sidelines of the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum, which brings together 10 ASEAN members and their most important diplomatic partners including Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, European nations and the US.

The meeting lasted around 50 minutes. Rubio was seen winking at Lavrov afterward as reporters shouted questions, which they both ignored.

The meeting was their second encounter since Rubio took office, although they have spoken by phone several times. Their first meeting took place in February in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as the Trump administration sought to test Russia and Ukraine on their willingness to make peace.

Thursday's meeting occurred shortly after the US resumed some shipments of defensive weapons to Ukraine following a pause, ostensibly for the Pentagon to review domestic munitions stocks, that was cheered in Moscow.

The resumption comes as Russia fires escalating air attacks on Ukraine and as US President Donald Trump has become increasingly frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Putin is not, he’s not treating human beings right," Trump said during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, explaining the pause’s reversal. "It’s killing too many people. So we’re sending some defensive weapons to Ukraine, and I’ve approved that."

Rubio was also seeing other foreign ministers, including many whose countries face tariffs set to be imposed Aug. 1. The tariff threat could overshadow the top diplomat’s first official trip to Asia, just as the US seeks to boost relations with Indo-Pacific nations to counter China’s growing influence in the region.

Rubio sought to assuage concerns as he held group talks with ASEAN foreign ministers.

"The Indo Pacific, the region, remains a focal point of US foreign policy," he told them. "When I hear in the news that perhaps the United States or the world might be distracted by events in other parts of the planet, I would say distraction is impossible, because it is our strong view and the reality that this century and the story of next 50 years will largely be written here in this region."

"These are relationships and partnerships that we intend to continue to build on without seeking the approval or the permission of any other actor in the region of the world," Rubio said in an apparent reference to China.

Trump notified several countries on Monday and Wednesday that they will face higher tariffs if they don’t make trade deals with the US. Among them are eight of ASEAN's 10 members.

US State Department officials said tariffs and trade won't be Rubio’s focus during the meetings, which Trump’s Republican administration hopes will prioritize maritime safety and security in the South China Sea, where China has become increasingly aggressive toward its small neighbors, as well as combating transnational crime.

But Rubio may be hard-pressed to avoid the tariff issue that has vexed some of Washington's closest allies and partners in Asia, including Japan and South Korea and most members of ASEAN, which Trump says would face 25% tariffs if there is no deal.

Rubio also met with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who has warned global trade is being weaponized to coerce weaker nations. Anwar urged the bloc Wednesday to strengthen regional trade and reduce reliance on external powers.

Rubio’s "talking points on the China threat will not resonate with officials whose industries are being battered by 30-40% tariffs," said Danny Russel, vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute and a former assistant secretary of state for East Asia and the Pacific during the Obama administration.

When Anwar said "ASEAN will approach challenges ‘as a united bloc’ he wasn’t talking about Chinese coercion but about US tariffs," Russel noted.

Majority of ASEAN members face major tariff hikes Among ASEAN states, Trump has announced tariffs on almost all of the bloc's 10 members.

Trump sent tariff letters to two more ASEAN members Wednesday: Brunei, whose imports would be taxed at 25%, and the Philippines at 20%. Others hit this week include Cambodia at 36%, Indonesia at 32%, Laos at 40%, Malaysia at 25%, Myanmar at 40% and Thailand at 36%.

Vietnam recently agreed to a trade deal for a 20% tariffs on its imports, while Singapore still faces a 10% tariff that was imposed in April. The Trump administration has courted most Southeast Asian nations in a bid to blunt or at least temper China’s push to dominate the region.

In Kuala Lumpur, Rubio also will likely come face-to-face with China's foreign minister during his visit of about 36 hours.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is a veteran of such gatherings and "fluent in ASEAN principles and conventions," while Rubio "is a rookie trying to sell an ‘America First’ message to a deeply skeptical audience," Russel noted.

Issues with China remain substantial, including trade, human rights, militarization of the South China Sea and China's support for Russia in Ukraine.

US officials continue to accuse China of resupplying and revamping Russia’s military industrial sector, allowing it to produce additional weapons that can be used to attack Ukraine.

Earlier on Thursday, Rubio signed a memorandum on civilian nuclear energy with Malaysia’s foreign minister, which will pave the way for negotiations on a more formal nuclear cooperation deal, known as a 123 agreement after the section of US law allowing such programs.

Those agreements allow the US government and US companies to work with and invest in civilian energy nuclear programs in other countries under strict supervision.