Israel’s hard-right government was planning Monday to push through parliament a key element of its controversial judicial revamp.

The “reasonability clause” would remove the power of the Supreme Court to overrule government decisions that its judges deem unreasonable.

The wider reform plans have sparked protests, often drawing tens of thousands, since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government proposed them in January.

Critics charge they threaten liberal democracy itself by removing important checks and balances on executive power in a country that has no formal constitution.

[So, this is an AFP sourced report and they tend to be Euro-Lefty. Keep that in mind. ~ Beege]