Hundreds of Thousands Arrive in Tel Aviv for PRO GOVERNMENT ‘The Million’ Pro-Reform Rally

 

Over 200 thousand supporters of the government's judicial reform legislation are gathering on Kaplan St. in Tel Aviv for a rally parallel to the expected passing of the bill to reduce the reasonableness standard in its second and third readings in the Knesset.

The demonstrators' message to the coalition members in the Knesset: "The nation is with you, complete the legislation. 64 seats are not second-class citizens."

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich addressed the crowd at the right-wing rally in Tel Aviv, stating, "I want to address our brothers and sisters who gathered in Kaplan for many weeks and some of whom are now in Jerusalem - those who oppose the reform - and those pilots and soldiers who called for not reporting for reserve service. At this moment, it is important for me to say to you: I know how you feel.

There are a lot of important things that need to be done, but I know that such complex moves need to be done slowly and with negotiation, so we were also willing to give up and compromise on some of the steps in our reform," he added.

"I am telling you even now about the future so that we can continue to live together here in the State of Israel, we will be ready for real dialogue with an open heart and a willing mind with a willingness to make concessions and compromises on all sides, so that in the end we can calm the spirits, continue the Zionist enterprise and together protect our country that we all love and care for so much," Smotritz concluded.

Minister of Education Yoav Kisch told the crowd: "If we give in to the resistance, no government in the future will be able to function. If we don't pass the law, it will be the end of democracy in Israel. We are determined to pass the change and the policy we were elected to implement."

Minister of Transportation Miri Regev: "I know the abilities of the elite to try to harm any reform. They tried to silence us, mocked us. They tried to prevent it with beautiful, artificial words, just like they are trying to do today. They are concerned with maintaining their centers of power, and we are concerned with the reform."

"We are here saying unequivocally: the state belongs to all of us. The state belongs to everyone, and the army is the people's army. Tomorrow we will vote in the Knesset on reducing the reasonablity clause in order to ensure the strengthening of democracy, and this is only the beginning of the reform because a full reform is required to fix the judicial system", said Regev.

Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu stated: "I want to say to the dear protesters - you have no idea how much strength you give us. There are 64 mandates here that are not willing to give up the democracy of the State of Israel, 64 mandates that are not willing to give up reform in the judicial system, 64 mandates that want reform."

"We say to the Supreme Court party - we don't want your reasonableness. You have tangled with the wrong generation. We love the State of Israel," Minister Eliyahu said.

Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli also addressed the rally. "As a regular military officer and a military officer in the reserves, the oath to the IDF is the only contract I know of. Those who wish to take advantage of their military position, however prestigious it may be, are promoted through the training given to them. They harm the strength of the IDF, these people harm the deterrent capacity of the State of Israel. It is hard to think of a practice more indefensible than refusal to serve," he stated.

"I say to each of the refusers and to the former chiefs of staff who encourage them, the Israeli Knesset and the Israeli government have no permission to accede to threats and extortion from any pressure group. The meaning of receiving such dictates is one - a military junta. Will not arise and will not be suppressed. Freedom of speech is not a license for rebellion," said Minister Chikli

Among the expected speakers: Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Minister Amichai Chikli, Minister Yoav Kisch, Minister Dudi Amsalem, MK Avichai Boaron, who is among the rally's initiators, Prof. Talia Einhorn, TV presenter Kinneret Barashi, Atty. Eran Ben-Ari, journalist Hadar Miller, Im Tirtzu chairman Matan Peleg, and Tekuma 2023 initiative chairman Berale Crombie.

ome of the ministers and MKs will speak via video conference from the Knesset out of fear the opposition will attempt to proceed with the vote without them.

Earlier, hundreds of reservists marched from Habima Square in Tel Aviv towards the Kiriya Bridge in a march under the slogan "Reservists without conditions, guarding the home and loyal to the spirit of the IDF".

The march comes against the background of the increasing calls to refuse reserve duty due to the judicial reform legislation. Among the marchers are infantry, pilots, intelligence personnel, and former commanders in the various units of the IDF.