After High Court appeal, anti-war protests to be permitted under strict limitations

The Association for Civil Rights requested an urgent hearing, saying the right to protest was being violated; Supreme Court head Isaac Amit says war does not negate the right to protest

The IDF Home Front Command and Israel Police gave anti-war protesters permission to rally around the country Saturday evening, with strict restrictions on the number of participants.

Last week, officers arrested over 20 people during protests against the war with Iran, as they forcibly dispersed protests in several major cities, including Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa and Beersheba.

The demonstrations marked the first time that mainstream anti-government groups part in protests against the ongoing war. During the first few weeks of the fighting, such demonstrations were organized and attended almost entirely by left-wing activists.

The Home Front Command’s wartime regulations limit outdoor public gatherings to 50 people.

The organizers of the demonstrations petitioned the High Court of Justice this week to allow for 1,000 people to participate at a protest at Habima Square in Tel Aviv, 300 at the Horev Center in Haifa, 300 at Paris Square in Jerusalem, and 200 on Weizmann Sokolov Street in Kfar Saba, according to the Ynet news site.

Responding to the petitions, the Home Front Command informed the High Court that it will permit small demonstrations, with 150 allowed to protest at Habima Square in Tel Aviv.

Protests at the other locations across the country will be limited to up to 50 people each.

The Home Front Command and police cited operational and security considerations for the restrictions on crowd size, as guidelines limiting gatherings due to missile and rocket fire remain in force.

The Home Front Command added that it gave the go-ahead after the various protest sites were checked to ensure there are protected spaces where demonstrators can gather in case of warning sirens. Additionally, the distance to shelters and the maximum occupancies of the nearby protected areas were also measured.

The Association for Civil Rights requested an urgent hearing on Saturday, claiming the right to protest was being violated.

The group claimed “the statements regarding the importance of freedom of political expression during wartime remain hollow,” asserting that the court’s determination at the previous hearing was not implemented in practice.

On Friday, High Court President Justice Isaac Amit sharply criticized the state’s position, arguing that war does not negate the right to protest and that police must propose a framework to allow demonstrations to proceed.

“I have the feeling that in recent years and in the near future, the home front has become the front,” Amit said during the hearing.

“This is life, and this is what will happen. So if we ban demonstrations, it means there will be no more protests during wartime. As we speak, there are hundreds of people in the Big Fashion [shopping mall],” he added.

The Attorney General’s Office told the High Court that the matter is a substantive issue that must be addressed, likely requiring the Home Front Command to present its considerations to the court.

The Peace Partnership, a coalition of groups calling for a ceasefire, responded to the new restrictions, saying “that 150 protesters is not a right to demonstrate – it is a quota to silence a protest.”

“The public will arrive en masse tonight at more than 20 locations across the country, because it is impossible to limit a public protest against the war through administrative restrictions,” they added.