Tel Aviv, 3 July 2023 (dpa/MIA) – Hundreds of protesters temporarily blocked the Israeli port of Haifa on Monday and demonstrators clashed with police at Tel Aviv's main airport in a show of opposition to judicial reforms being advanced by the right-wing government.

Other protests were planned in cities across the country in the latest round of months-long demonstrations aimed at stopping the reforms, which rights activists say will lead to the justice system being controlled by the government and endanger democracy.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanhayu and his religious coalition have already been forced to delay the proposals by the widespread protests - some of the largest Israel has ever seen - but opponents say the restructured legislation is no better.

They say the law would reduce the powers of the Supreme Court, but the government accuses judges of excessive interference in political decisions.

Long traffic jams formed in Haifa after demonstrators blocked access routes to the port in the morning.

Organizers said thousands also attended a rally at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv.

Media reported that police had used force to push demonstrators out of the airport arrivals hall. Clashes broke out and several people were arrested, reports said.

Israel's far-right security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, had called on police not to capitulate to "rioters" and people "who want to undermine democracy."

The airport authorities and police had said they were aiming to restrict the number of participants to 5,000, while protest organizers said anyone wishing to join should make their way there.

It was unclear how many protesters there had been at the airport but demonstrators said their aim was not to disrupt air traffic. However, they advised travellers to take public transport to the airport and not drive.

Israeli schools are on a summer break and many families are flying out for the holidays.

Lawmaker Danny Danon, from Netanyahu's Likud party, has called for the protests and the debate around the reforms to be suspended for the time being in view of a military offensive by the army in the Palestinian West Bank city of Jenin.

Many army reservists are part of the protest movement and say that as long as the reform is being pushed through parliament, they will be forced to continue demonstrating. Many reservists have not shown up for duty because of the protests.

The organizers of countrywide rallies on Saturday reported that around 286,000 people had attended.

Photo: EPA