Israelis protest judicial reforms in front of parliament

• Protests in front of the Israeli parliament over a plan.
• To give politicians more control over choosing judges have led to opposition to the plans.
• Which critics claim could erode Israel’s democratic checks and balances system.

Thousands of people are protesting in front of the Israeli parliament, as parliamentarians engaged in a contentious debate over a plan that would give politicians more control over choosing judges.

Widespread opposition has been raised to the plans, which would give right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu more influence over nominations to the Supreme Court bench.

Many demonstrators carried the Israeli flag, which is blue and white, as well as signs denouncing what they viewed as an assault on the nation’s democratic institutions. They shouted, “Shame! Shame!” “Save Israel Democracy” and “The whole world is watching” were written on some of the placards.

There were other protests outside of schools across the nation.

After a boisterous beginning to the hearing in which at least three opposition legislators were forcibly ejected to cries of “shame, disgrace,” the Knesset Constitution Committee agreed to send the first chapter of the plan to the plenary for a first reading.

There were other protests outside of schools across the nation.

After a boisterous beginning to the hearing in which at least three opposition legislators were forcibly ejected to cries of “shame, disgrace,” the Knesset Constitution Committee agreed to send the first chapter of the plan to the plenary for a first reading.

“You will burn up the country,” Idan Roll of the centrist Yesh Atid party told Simcha Rothman, the panel chairman from the hard-right Religious Zionism bloc, before being ushered out.

Netanyahu, who is now facing corruption allegations that he denies, claims that the changes are required to rein in activist judges who have overstepped their bounds to meddle in politics.

By undermining the judiciary, giving the executive unrestrained power, and jeopardizing civil liberties and human rights, critics claim they run the risk of eroding Israel’s democratic checks and balances system.

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