Israel: Bill aimed at curbing judicial powers approved by parliament

Israeli lawmakers have approved a bill that strips the Supreme Court of its authority to overturn government actions deemed unreasonable.

The Bill is the first in a series of hotly debated reforms aimed at curbing the powers of the judiciary.

The approval of this legislation comes amidst widespread protests across the country aimed at thwarting its passage. Critics of the Bill have expressed concerns that such measures could jeopardize Israel's status as a democracy.

The government, however, maintains that these reforms are necessary to address an alleged imbalance in power, where the courts have increasingly interfered in political decisions in recent years.

The bill, dubbed the "reasonableness" bill, secured a decisive 64-0 victory in the Knesset (parliament) after the opposition boycotted the final vote.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized the move, denouncing it as "a takeover by an extreme minority over the Israeli majority."

Conversely, Israel's Justice Minister, Yariv Levin, lauded the decision, describing it as a historic step towards rectifying the judicial system.

The approval of the Bill culminates months of turmoil, with the country's president issuing a warning on Monday, stating that Israel was in a state of national emergency.

In response to the bill's passage, protesters took to the streets outside the Knesset on Monday morning. Demonstrators were met with water cannons and police intervention, leading to one protester being injured and six arrests.

Amidst the chaos, a defiant protester expressed his resistance to what he called a "dictatorship," citing his grandfather's role as a wartime codebreaker at Bletchley Park during World War II. When asked how long the protests would persist, he defiantly declared, "We will never surrender."

The passage of this controversial bill marks a significant moment in Israel's political landscape.