Israel passed a divisive bill that has seen protests rock the country for the last seven months. Deadly heatwaves are scorching the region with some of the highest temperatures in the world. And a grim milestone, as Sudan’s war surpasses 100 days. Here’s the Middle East this week:
Every Saturday, for seven months straight, the streets of Israeli cities have been teeming with angry people sounding off against a controversial piece of legislation. The bill passed this week and while protesters have vowed to continue fighting it, all sides are taking pause until a hearing for an appeal against the law takes place in September.
The protester’s resolve to fight it went right up until the vote was held: a tent city was erected outside the Israeli Knesset the day before the vote, with Israeli President Isaac Herzog calling the situation an “emergency” as last-ditch talks took place.
But why has the judicial overhaul gotten many factions of Israeli society – from doctors, to banks, to army reservists – in disarray? Critics say the changes, which will limit the Supreme Court’s powers, are a power grab that will push Israel towards autocracy, even while Netanyahu says they are necessary to reign in the court.
Source : aljazeera