Hundreds of activists demonstrated Saturday night outside the home of President of Israel’s Supreme Court Esther Hayut, following the court’s decision to temporarily suspend the deportation of thousands of illegal migrant workers.
Activists from the South Tel-Aviv Liberation Front and the Zionist organization Im Tirtzu called on the court to stop their “judicial dictatorship” on behalf of the illegal migrants.
Last week, the High Court of Justice instructed the government to halt its planned deportation of thousands of illegal migrants, this after the court had already upheld the legality of government’s plan.
Activists chanted slogans such as, “The Knesset Legislates, the Supreme Court Erases,” and “The People Demand Justice for the Residents of South Tel-Aviv.”
Sheffi Paz, leader of the South Tel-Aviv Liberation Front, said: “For 10 years the High Court has been torpedoing any attempt to deal with the illegal migrant issue. For 10 years, the High Court has been treating us like dirt in favor of the illegal migrants.”
“The time has come to say enough to the High Court, which is continuously acting against the residents of South Tel-Aviv on behalf of the illegal migrants,” Paz said.
Matan Peleg, CEO of Im Tirtzu said in a statement: “Once again, we are seeing how the High Court of Justice is placing itself above the democratically elected representatives and is acting like a council of sages ensuring that everyone obeys its will, just like in Iran.”
“This is a situation that is unacceptable for any democratic country. It is time to end this radical judicial activism of the High Court,” Peleg said.