Middle East & Africa | The day of judgment

Proposed legal reforms could be dire for Israel

The debate over them has exposed profound divisions within Israel

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL - FEBRUARY 13:  Protesters attend a massive demonstration near the Israeli parliament as opposition leaders call for a nationwide strike and protests all over the country against the Israeli government on February 13, 2023 in Jerusalem, Israel. Israel's Knesset may begin the legislation process of the judicial overhaul, that will increase the government's sway in selecting judges while weakening Supreme Court power to strike down laws.  (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images) *** BESTPIX ***
A damning indictmentImage: Getty Images
|DUBAI AND JERUSALEM

“ZION SHALL be redeemed with judgment.” The words of the prophet Isaiah are quoted by Simcha Rothman, chairman of the law committee of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, at the start of each of its meetings. Mr Rothman is in charge of pushing through a radical overhaul of the country’s judicial system. On February 13th the committee voted in favour of the first tranche of the changes as nearly 100,000 Israelis demonstrated outside the Knesset.

This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “The day of judgment”

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