Tel Aviv, 13 February 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Several professional groups plan to strike in Israel on Monday in protest against the planned judiciary reforms.

A large rally is planned in front of the Knesset or parliament, in Jerusalem at noon, which is when the Knesset is expected to approve part of the controversial reforms in the first reading.

For weeks, tens of thousands of Israelis have been demonstrating against the plans of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to deliberately weaken the Supreme Court.

They also fear that the reforms could allow Netanyahu to escape conviction in his corruption trial.

The aim of the reforms is to give parliament the power to overturn Supreme Court decisions with a simple majority. Politicians are also to be given more influence in the appointment of judges.

Netanyahu, in remarks made at the start of the weekly cabinet meetings on Sunday, warned demonstrators not to use violence.

"I would like to strongly criticize the calls to break the law, for civil rebellion, to intentionally harm the economy, and even use weapons, by those who oppose government policy," he said.

He said democratic elections gave him power and he has a "clear mandate from the citizens of Israel" to pursue his policies.

While he said people have the right to demonstrate, "there cannot be calls to violence, to act violently, to call for civil rebellion, to compel people to strike who do not want to do so. This is forbidden."

Organizers of Monday's demonstration have not called for violence, though there have been outbursts from people angry about the reforms in the past and threats of violence should the law pass. 

Critics, both at home and abroad, see the planned judicial reforms as a threat to the democratic separation of powers. The far-right religious government, on the other hand, argues that the Supreme Court exercizes too much political influence and that needs to change.