Israelis back on streets to protest judicial overhaul vote

Thousands of Israelis returned to the streets of Tel Aviv late Thursday to protest against parliament's approval of a key component in the hard-right government's controversial judicial reform package.

On Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition allies pushed through a bill in the chamber, which opponents say opens the way to a more authoritarian government.

The bill limits the "reasonableness" clause used by the Supreme Court to overturn government decisions which the judges deem unconstitutional.

Waving Israeli flags and chanting "Democracy, Democracy!" protesters rallied on Thursday evening in Tel Aviv, the epicentre of the demonstrations since the judicial overhaul package was first unveiled in January.

On Monday lawmakers passed the bill with 64 votes in the 120-seat chamber after opposition lawmakers boycotted the vote, chanting "shame, shame".

Netanyahu's coalition government, which includes far-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties, argues that the proposed changes are needed to ensure a better balance of power between elected officials and the courts.

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