Israeli judicial reform protesters to disrupt Ben-Gurion Airport next week

Anti-judicial reform protesters plan to disrupt Ben-Gurion Airport next Monday as part of a series of protest actions planned to start on Saturday night, the protest's organizers announced on Tuesday.

The call comes as the government continues to move forward with legislation on the Reasonableness Doctrine, with a source in the coalition stating that the government intends to pass a bill on the doctrine into law by July 31. The government is considering advancing additional bills that are part of the judicial reform as well.

"Starting Saturday night, we call on the public to join targeted disruption operations aimed at establishing a fact before the government of destruction - the dictatorship will not pass!" said the protest movements.

"We will all engage in struggle and civil resistance activities on a daily level, unlike the previous round where disruptions took place once a week," said the movements, adding that "there will also be surprises."

"We must learn from the historical lesson of Hungary and Poland. In the 21st century, dictatorships rise through gradual legislation that empties the heart of values, the heart of morals, of the government's institutions. We will not allow this to happen in Israel."

"This is the moment we have been waiting for, the hundreds of thousands who have the Israeli flag at the entrance to their homes and the values ​​of the Declaration of Independence engraved in their hearts. Now the moment of truth has come. It's time to resist."

During anti-reform protests earlier this year, protesters repeatedly blocked traffic in and around Ben-Gurion Airport. In March, shortly after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he would be firing Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, the airport went on strike as part of a nationwide strike in protest of the move and of the judicial reform.

Katz calls for Ben-Gvir, AG to block Ben-Gurion protest

Tourism Minister Haim Katz rejected the intention to disrupt Ben-Gurion Airport, appealing to National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara to "use all means at [their] disposal" to "prevent the expected harm."

The "Kaplan Force" protest movement responded to Katz shortly after, stressing that they would conduct the protest at Ben-Gurion Airport in accordance with the law and would receive permission ahead of time.

"When the Zionist vision and the values of the Declaration of Independence are at stake - we will also protest at Ben-Gurion Airport. We would expect Katz to announce that he will not support the dictatorship's laws and will act against them instead of acting against the right to protest granted to every man and woman in a democracy."

Transportation Minister Miri Regev also sent a letter to Ben-Gvir, the attorney general, the chairman of the Airports Authority, the director-general of the Transportation Ministry, and the chief of police requesting that they act to prevent disruptions to the airport's operations.

Eliav Breuer contributed to this report.