The New York TimesThe New York Times

In Israel, democracy still holds

By Bret Stephens

29 Mar 2023 · 4 min read

Editor's Note

Last week in Israel, hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated against Netanyahu's judicial-reform bills. The NYT argues that Israel's democracy may be in better health than some believe it to be.

Even Israel’s vehement critics might pause and marvel at what ordinary Israelis achieved this week.

After weeks of mounting demonstrations against the government’s judicial-reform bills, hundreds of thousands took to the streets Sunday night — proportionally, as if millions of Americans were on the march — when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he would fire his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, for backing away from the legislation.

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