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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Halt Israel legal reform, urges defence minister | Halt Israel legal reform, urges defence minister |
| (39 minutes later) | |
| Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt controversial plans for an overhaul of the justice system. | Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt controversial plans for an overhaul of the justice system. |
| His intervention came as Israelis opposed to the changes held mass rallies across the country for the twelfth week in a row. | His intervention came as Israelis opposed to the changes held mass rallies across the country for the twelfth week in a row. |
| Mr Gallant added his voice to warnings the crisis is causing social upheaval and could harm Israel's security. | Mr Gallant added his voice to warnings the crisis is causing social upheaval and could harm Israel's security. |
| So far, however, Mr Netanyahu has defied calls to scrap the shake-up. | So far, however, Mr Netanyahu has defied calls to scrap the shake-up. |
| In a brief televised statement, Mr Gallant described the reform plan as a "clear, immediate and tangible danger to the security of the State". | In a brief televised statement, Mr Gallant described the reform plan as a "clear, immediate and tangible danger to the security of the State". |
| He said members of the Israeli Defence Forces were angry and disappointed, with an intensity he had never encountered before. | He said members of the Israeli Defence Forces were angry and disappointed, with an intensity he had never encountered before. |
| The law is part of the right-wing government's contentious plan to limit the powers of the judiciary, which has led to months of protests. | The law is part of the right-wing government's contentious plan to limit the powers of the judiciary, which has led to months of protests. |
| It includes enabling parliament to overrule decisions made by the Supreme Court - a move that critics say will undermine the independence of the judiciary and could be used for political ends. | It includes enabling parliament to overrule decisions made by the Supreme Court - a move that critics say will undermine the independence of the judiciary and could be used for political ends. |
| But Mr Netanyahu says the reforms are designed to stop the courts overreaching their powers and that they were voted for by the public at the last election. | But Mr Netanyahu says the reforms are designed to stop the courts overreaching their powers and that they were voted for by the public at the last election. |
| Mr Gallant's remarks were welcomed by opposition leader Yair Lapid, who praised the minister's "brave step". | |
| But far-right police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir urged Mr Netanyahu to sack the defence minister, saying he had caved in to opposition pressure. | |
| Separately, a new Incapacitation Law, which passed by 61 votes to 47 in the 120-seat Knesset on Thursday following a heated all-night debate, prevents a prime minister from being declared unfit to hold office by the attorney general. | |
| It stipulates that only the prime minister or three-quarters of their cabinet can declare them unfit to hold office on physical or psychological grounds. | |
| Mr Netanyahu is standing trial on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three cases. He denies any wrongdoing and says he is the victim of a "witch hunt". | |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Israel | Israel |
| Benjamin Netanyahu | Benjamin Netanyahu |