Yael Iosilevich is a law student in the Buchmann Faculty of Law at Tel Aviv University and JURIST’s Staff Correspondent in Israel.    

Today, Saturday, more than 300,000 Israeli citizens participated nationwide in the 10th consecutive week of Anti-Overhaul protests against the Netanyahu government’s proposed package of judicial reforms. These were a follow-up to events on Thursday, when Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s Minister of National Security, along with the Commissioner of Police, removed the commander of the Tel-Aviv District from his position due to the commander’s perceived restraint towards protesters, which contrasts with Ben-Gvir’s approach. Ben-Gvir has denied any political motive behind the commander’s removal.

The Legal Advisor to the government has ordered that any decision or action regarding the Tel-Aviv district commander’s change in appointment be frozen until a required legal investigation is completed. The Legal Advisor has expressed concerns about the legality of removing the commander from his position.

Today, after facing intense public criticism, the Commissioner of Police made a public declaration stating that he had made a mistake in judgment regarding the actions towards the Tel-Aviv District Commander. He announced that he would accept the government’s Legal Advisor’s decision to freeze any changes in the commander’s appointments.

In response to the Commissioner’s declaration, Ben-Gvir accused the government’s Legal Advisor of effectively managing the Commissioner and acting as if she were the Minister of National Security.

Regarding the continuance of protests, organizers said they would continue, with a planned “day of escalating resistance” declared for this coming Thursday.