Israel reboots fiercely opposed judicial campaign

STORY: Israeli lawmakers on Sunday (June 25) began debating a proposed judicial overhaul that has sparked mass protests.

It would limit the Supreme Court's powers and is instigated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's religious-nationalist coalition.

Sunday's step reboots a drive Netanyahu suspended in March after months of huge protests.

On Saturday night (June 24), tens of thousands of Israelis opposed to the bill blocked a major Tel Aviv highway.

Netanyahu declared last week that compromise talks with opposition parties had been fruitless and ordered some of the legislation to be revived.

Coalition lawmakers have indicated that the new bill would be much softer than the previous proposals, which sought to almost totally roll back the Supreme Court's power to rule against the executive.

But critics see it as an attempt to curb court independence by Netanyahu, who is on trial on graft charges that he denies.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid on Twitter urged Netanyahu to stop the legislation and revive negotiations until, quote, "we reach agreements that will safeguard democracy and prevent a national disaster."

The proposed judicial changes have also stirred Western concern over Israel's democratic health and spooked investors.