Israeli parliament passes bill to limit powers of judiciary amid mass protests

The Israeli parliament, Knesset, has passed a bill that would overhaul the country’s judiciary and limit its powers, despite mass protests from the opposition. The bill passed by 64-0, after the opposition boycotted it in protest.

 

Local media reported that the law removes the power of the Supreme Court to overrule government actions it considers unreasonable.

 

It said, last-minute talks to find a compromise, led by President Isaac Herzog, failed to stop the government from pushing ahead with the



vote.

The planned reforms have triggered some of the biggest protests in Israel's history, with opponents warning they imperil Israel as a democracy.

Meanwhile, the government argues that the measures are necessary to correct an imbalance in power which has seen the courts increasingly intervene in political decisions in recent decades.

 

However, hours before the final vote, police used water cannon and arrested protesters outside Israel's parliament in Jerusalem.