Israel passes law protecting Benjamin Netanyahu as protests continue

Protesters dressed as characters from The Handmaid’s Tale TV show in Tel Aviv Wednesday. Pic/AFP

Israel's parliament on Thursday passed the first of several laws that make up its contentious judicial overhaul as protesters opposing the changes staged another day of demonstrations aimed at ringing an alarm over what they see as the country's descent toward autocracy.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition approved legislation that would protect the Israeli leader from being deemed unfit to rule over his corruption trial and claims of a conflict of interest surrounding his involvement in the legal changes. Critics say the law is tailor-made for Netanyahu, encourages corruption and deepens a gaping chasm between Israelis over the judicial overhaul.

Also Read: Protests in Israel regain momentum as Benjamin Netanyahu rejects compromise

The legal changes have split the nation between those who see the new policies as stripping Israel of its democratic ideals and those who think the country has been overrun by a liberal judiciary. The government's plan has plunged the nearly 75-year-old nation into one of its worst domestic crises.

The opposition is rooted in broad swaths of society - including business leaders and top legal officials. Even the country's military, seen as a beacon of stability by Israel's Jewish majority, is enmeshed in the political conflict, as some reservists are refusing to show up for duty over the changes. Israel's international allies have also expressed concern.

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