Over 150 people gathered at Statler Park in Boston across from the Israeli consulate on Thursday, Feb. 2 to protest new laws being proposed by the Israeli government.

If passed, the laws would allow the prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and certain members of the executive branch to decide who their Supreme Court judges are. This would alter the country’s system of checks and balances, which concerns many citizens due to the country’s current political composition of the executive and legislative branch.

The protest was part of a global movement inviting people to come together to preserve the democratic identity of Israel and express their thoughts on what democracy is. The event was connected to UnXeptable, an organization that also held protests in over fifteen cities around the world including Barcelona, Toronto and San Francisco.

The first speaker was Jed Shugerman, a professor of law at Fordham University and Boston University. Shugerman began his speech by giving background information on the mechanics of the Israeli government, specifically how members of the executive branch have dominated the Supreme Court behind the scenes. He went on to share what his vision of democracy looked like.

“To quote [former United States] Justice [William] Brennan, the main point is that democracy is not just about voting but also about individual rights and equality,” Shugerman said.

Shortly after, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Stonehill College Anwar Mahjne spoke about her life as a Palestinian citizen of Israel. She said that oftentimes, it feels as if she’s misrepresented in the global conversation of democracy because she is a part of a minority.

“A lot of Americans don’t understand the consequences of what’s going on, not only for Israeli democracy, but minorities in general,” Mahjne said. “We’re not only fighting for Arab Palestinians in Israel, but also women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights and more. So citizens really need to be informed as to what is happening and why.”

The third speaker was Rabbi Claudia Kleiman from Temple Beth Zion. She explained how her experience growing up in Chile under a dictatorship taught her the importance of democracy. Kleiman said the most impactful thing people can do is to try and share their voices.

“I stand here because of my concern for our Jewish soul.” Kleiman said. “Standing against the government policies is not standing against Israel, it is standing for Israel.”

The event closed with the final speaker, Sam Agus, who identifies as Israeli-American. According to Agus, the government’s job is to serve and protect people, which isn’t currently happening in Israel, so it’s up to the people to fight for that protection.

“Democracy means protecting the rights of minorities and standing up every day for what is right,” Agus said. “Freedom of speech is not a choice, it’s an obligation. It’s our job to maintain it.”