Israel's parliament passes key step in divisive judicial system shakeup

Israeli lawmakers have approved a key part of a divisive plan to reshape the country's judicial system despite massive protests cross the country.

Monday's vote came after a stormy session in which opposition lawmakers chanted “shame” and then stormed out of the chamber.

It reflected the determination of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right allies to move ahead with the plan, the approval of a measure that prevents judges from striking down government decisions on the basis that they are “unreasonable.”

With the opposition out of the hall, the measure passed by a 64-0 margin.

The sweeping changes are aimed at curbing the powers of the judiciary, from limiting the Supreme Court’s ability to challenge parliamentary decisions to changing the way judges are selected.

Mr Netanyahu and his allies say the changes are needed to curb the powers of unelected judges.

Protesters, who come from a wide swath of Israeli society, see the overhaul in general as a power grab fueled by personal and political grievances of Mr Netanyahu - who is on trial for corruption charges - and his partners.

After the vote, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, the architect of the plan, said parliament had taken “first step in an important historic process” of overhauling the judiciary.

More mass protests are now expected, and the Movement for Quality Government, a civil society group, immediately announced it would challenge the new law in the Supreme Court.

The grassroots protest movement condemned the vote, saying Mr Netanyahu’s “government of extremists is showing their determination to jam their fringe ideology down the throats of millions of citizens.”

“No one can predict the extent of damage and social upheaval that will follow the passage of the legislation,” it said.

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