Israelis protest against planned judicial overhaul for 11th week

19/3/2023 5:51

        Israelis packed city streets on Saturday in nationwide demonstrations now in their 11th week against plans by the hard-right government to curb the Supreme Court's powers, which critics see as a threat to judicial independence.
        
        Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who says his aim is to balance out branches of government, wields a parliamentary majority along with his religious-nationalist coalition allies but his planned judicial overhaul has sparked concern at home and abroad.
        
        As the changes head toward ratification, the protests have escalated, affecting the economy - the shekel has slipped - and extending to a threat by some military reservists not to heed call-up orders.
        
        President Isaac Herzog has appealed for the overhaul to be postponed and presented an alternative plan to the changes on Wednesday which was swiftly rejected by the prime minister.