High Court rejects request to limit protests near PM’s house

Some 60 petitioners asked that the High Court of Justice shut down protests on Balfour street.

By YONAH JEREMY BOB
Israelis protest against Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu outside Prime Minister Netanyahu's official residence in Jerusalem on August 01, 2020. (photo credit: OLIVIER FITOUSSI/FLASH90)
Israelis protest against Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu outside Prime Minister Netanyahu's official residence in Jerusalem on August 01, 2020.
(photo credit: OLIVIER FITOUSSI/FLASH90)
The High Court of Justice on Wednesday rejected a petition by some 60 Jerusalem residents to end or limit protests near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s official state residence on Balfour Street.
The petitioners were residents who live in the area who say that the constant protests have imposed an unfair burden on their daily lives and ability to sleep at night.
They asked justices Uzi Vogelman, Yael Wilner and Alex Stein to either end or limit the protests so that normal daily life can be restored.
While expressing sympathy for the residents’ dilemma, the High Court said it believes the police had already arrived at a proper balance of protesters’ rights and residents’ rights to not be disturbed.
According to the police recommendation, protesters will not be able to use drums or other instruments to make noise after 9:30 p.m. Furthermore, after 11 p.m., protesters will not be allowed to use megaphones.
Residents also demanded that the protests be limited due to coronavirus restrictions.
In response, the High Court said that it trusts police to try to enforce mask-wearing and social distancing, but would not limit the number of protesters to avoid demonstrators’ violations of those rules beyond police enforcement.
Overall, the High Court said that the Balfour residence – since it is effectively the official seat of the head of state – has a special status which gives protesters’ rights a priority to continue with a constant presence there.
Despite elections leading to a national-unity government in May, protesters have maintained almost constant pressure on Netanyahu, mostly due to the corruption allegations against him.