Why is Israel’s judicial overhaul so divisive?
By JULIA FRANKEL
Associated Press
JERUSALEM (AP) — For seven months, tens of thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets to protest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans to overhaul the judiciary and weaken the Supreme Court. Netanyahu’s allies say the overhaul will rein in the power of unelected judges. But protesters say the overhaul amounts to regime change, pushing Israel toward autocracy. The protests have blocked major highways and thronged Israel’s main airport and train stations. On Monday, parliament passed a key part of the plan. That could mean the protests gain steam in the coming weeks.