Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was declared in “good condition” by medical doctors Sunday following surgery to implant a pacemaker, as his hard-right government’s controversial judicial overhaul plan was nearing a key vote in parliament.
Tens of thousands of protesters have again taken to the streets against Netanyahu’s proposal to curb the powers of judges, which critics fear will threaten democracy, while lawmakers started discussing a major plank of the package.
A vote was expected Monday in the Knesset on a central measure that would limit Supreme Court judges’ ability to strike down government decisions they deem “unreasonable”.
Netanyahu’s government, which includes far-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish allies, argues that the proposed reforms would prevent overreach by unelected judges and ensure a better balance of power.
Opponents accuse Netanyahu, who has been fighting corruption charges in court, of a conflict of interest and some protesters have labelled him the “crime minister”.
“We have to keep up the pressure, we have to safeguard our democracy,” said one demonstrator, Amir Goldstein, who had spent the night in a protest camp outside the legislature in Jerusalem.
