(LONDON) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that his plan to overhaul his country’s judicial system is “a minor correction” to an “activist” court.
“It’s described as the end of Israeli democracy — I think that’s silly and when the dust settles, everybody will see it,” Netanyahu told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos in an interview on Good Morning America.
On Monday, Israeli lawmakers approved the first major piece of legislation in Netanyahu’s broader plan to reform the country’s judiciary, sparking mass protests in the streets of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The new law removes the court system’s ability to strike down “unreasonable” decisions by the government. Critics of Netanyahu’s plan say it pushes Israel away from democratic ideals and toward authoritarian rule, while supporters say it claws back some power from unelected judges.
The overhaul has also stirred concern among Israel’s closest allies, with the United States calling Monday’s enactment of the law “unfortunate” and the European Union saying it was “following the developments in Israel closely and with concern.”
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