Why is Israel's new judicial law so controversial?

STORY: Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, has passed a new, controversial judicial bill that limits the Supreme Court’s powers.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the changes are needed to rein in an over-interventionist court.

While critics of the hard-right government accuse him of authoritarianism.

The judicial reforms have also triggered months of protest and strikes.

But what is the new law, and why is it causing upheaval?

Netanyahu's government launched an entire legislation package, meant to overhaul the judiciary, back in January.

It proposed to curb the Supreme Court's authority and grant the government more say in appointing judges.

The result: alarm among Western allies, vast protests on the streets and a falling shekel - Israel's currency.

Netanyahu hit pause in late March to allow for talks with opposition parties.

Those ground to a halt three months later and Netanyahu relaunched the legislation - scrapping some of the proposed changes.

The new legislation contains an amendment that removes one, but not all, of the tools the Supreme Court has for quashing government and ministers' decisions.

Up until now, if the court deemed an executive decision "unreasonable," it could void it.

Enter: the "reasonableness bill", which once in effect, will prevent judges will from doing this.

Although they will still be able to rule against government based on other legal grounds.

So what's the impact of all this?

Legal experts and advisers warn the changes will open the door to corruption and abuse of power, because it makes it easier for government to hire and fire officials - potentially for the wrong reasons.

A weaker judiciary could also be bad for business and harm Israel's legal defenses abroad.

Those on the street also fear the legislation threatens Israeli democracy.

Especially as Netanyahu himself is embroiled in a long-running corruption trial.

The ruling coalition, which Netanyahu leads, see the bench as left-leaning, elitist and too politically interventionist.

This piece of legislation is only part of Netanyahu's plans to reform the judiciary.

November has now been set as a target date to agree further judicial changes with the opposition parties.

But there is no guarantee that will happen.

If it does, then it would likely go a long way toward calming Israel's Western allies and reassuring foreign investors and international credit agencies spooked by the government's campaign.