Israeli police clashed Wednesday with protesters rallying against the government’s judicial reform programme which critics say threatens democracy, as lawmakers held a preliminary vote on the latest controversial bill.
Eleven wounded protesters arrived at Tel Aviv’s Ichilov hospital, a spokesman for the facility told AFP. The premier earlier stressed his support for the police, who “are acting against lawbreakers who are disrupting Israeli citizens’ daily lives”. MPs voted 62 to 20 in favour of the legislation, which proposes a three-quarter parliamentary majority to impeach a premier due to physical or mental incapacity.
Netanyahu and his justice minister, Yariv Levin, argue the change is necessary to reset the balance between elected officials and the Supreme Court which they view as politicised.