Israel's 'Day of Resistance'

Protestors in Israel are set to carry out a planned “day of resistance” today, the latest in ongoing demonstrations over proposed changes to the country’s judicial system. Reports suggest the protests are Israel's biggest in a decade, with hundreds of thousands of people taking part.

Spearheaded by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the overhaul would give the government control over selection and dismissal of judges, allow lawmakers to override Supreme Court decisions with a simple majority, and more (see overview). Israel has a history of judicial reforms—and lacks a formal constitution like the US—and proponents of the bill argue changes made in 1992 yielded too much power to the Supreme Court. Others have argued the proposal may allow Netanyahu to avoid a conviction in his ongoing corruption trial.

The protests forced US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to cut a trip to Tel Aviv short, where he was meeting with Israeli officials to address escalating hostilities in the West Bank.