Israeli parliament approves key part of Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul amid protests | Oneindia News

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Israel’s parliament has approved the first part of a controversial judicial overhaul pushed by Benjamin Netanyahu’s government that has sparked the country’s worst political crisis in years. The vote came after a stormy session in which opposition lawmakers chanted “shame” and then stormed out of the chamber.

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00:00 Israel's parliament has approved the first part of a controversial judicial overhaul

00:07 pushed by Benjamin Netanyahu's government that has sparked the country's worst political

00:12 crisis in years.

00:14 The vote came after a stormy session in which opposition lawmakers chanted "Shame" and

00:19 then stormed out of the chamber.

00:21 The Nesset on Monday approved the bill, which prevents the top court from using the standard

00:25 of reasonableness to strike down government decisions.

00:29 The overhaul calls for sweeping changes aimed at curbing the powers of the judiciary, from

00:33 limiting the Supreme Court's ability to challenge parliamentary decisions to changing the way

00:38 judges are selected.

00:39 Netanyahu and his allies say that the changes are needed to curb the power of unelected

00:43 judges.

00:44 With the opposition out of the hall, the measure was passed by a 64-0 margin.

00:49 The recent approval reflects the determination of Netanyahu and his far-right allies to move

00:53 ahead with the plan, which has tested the delicate social ties that bind the country,

00:57 rattled the cohesion of its powerful military, and repeatedly drawn concern from its closest

01:02 ally, the United States.

01:04 Protesters who come from a white, swath of Israeli society see the overhaul in general

01:09 as a power grab, fueled by personal and political grievances of Netanyahu, who is on trial for

01:14 corruption charges, and his partners.

01:16 Earlier, demonstrators, many of whom feel the very foundations of their country are

01:20 being eroded by the government's plan, blocked the road leading up to the parliament, and

01:24 big mall chains and some gas stations shuttered their doors in protest.

01:28 Further ratcheting up the pressure on Netanyahu, thousands of military reservists have declared

01:33 their refusal to serve under a government, taking steps that they see as setting the

01:37 country on a path to dictatorship.

01:40 Those moves have prompted fears that the military's preparedness could be compromised.

01:44 Ahead of Sunday's vote, opposition leader Yair Lapid had declared, "We are headed for

01:49 disaster."

01:50 Netanyahu supporters, meanwhile, thronged central Tel Aviv, normally the setting for

01:54 anti-government protests.

01:55 Netanyahu paused the overhaul in March after intense pressure by protesters and labor strikers

02:00 that halted outgoing flights and shut down parts of the country.

02:03 After talks to find a compromise failed last month, he said his government was "pressing

02:07 on with the overhaul."

02:09 For more information visit www.fema.gov/covid19

Israeli parliament approves key part of Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul amid protests | Oneindia News

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