A massive crowd in favor of the government’s controversial plans to reform the judiciary showed their support by attending an independent rally launched in the nation’s capital.
An estimated 150,000 to 200,000 joined the protest earlier this week.
The right-wing Israelis support a plan by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to overhaul the judiciary.
The crowds transformed the streets of Israel into a sea of blue and white national flags.
The masses chanted slogans in support of the judicial plan while ultranationalist Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich accused the critics of being under the influence of the media outlets.
The government’s proposed judiciary reforms have deeply divided Israel and resulted in huge weekly protests by its critics over the past four months.
The widespread national strike even stopped departures from the country’s main airport in Tel Aviv while some army reservists have refused to do their reserve service in protest of the measure.
Anti-government protesters on the other hand have pledged to bring even larger crowds out on the streets of Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities on Saturday, as mass demonstrations entered its 17th week.