Israel was rocked by further protests against the government’s planned judicial overhaul in the wake of increased violence in the West Bank, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seemed determined to hold his ground.
Demonstrators against the state’s bid to restrict the authority of the Supreme Court blocked main roadways on Wednesday (Tel Aviv time), including the key Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway. Thirty-nine were arrested in the latest skirmish in a controversy that’s caused a deep social rift and sparked shekel volatility and unnerved markets and investors.
Unrest in Palestinian villages has led to fights between soldiers and Jewish settlers in recent days, intensifying the worst hostilities in years. Eight Israelis were arrested on suspicion of their involvement in the violence and an assault in the village of Huwara.
Police said they expected to detain more.
The twin battles have increased concerns about an escalating crisis in Israel since Netanyahu returned to power as head of a far-right coalition in December.
Critics say plans for the judiciary will hand too much power to authorities, and a committee debate about the reforms in the Knesset on Wednesday turned raucous.
The government and its supporters say they are reining in an activist high court and returning power to the voters. The rift over this issue is genuine but also a proxy for the socio-economic divide between traditional, more religious Jews and secular professionals.
Read the article by Gwen Ackerman and Ethan Bronner in The Sydney Mornng Herald.