A contentious government plan to overhaul Israel’s judiciary has cleaved deep rifts within Israeli society, and those rifts have infiltrated the military, where reservists in key units have pledged not to show up for duty if the legislative changes are pushed through.
Israeli lawmakers on Monday approved a key portion of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s divisive plan, which calls for sweeping changes aimed at curbing the powers of the judiciary, from limiting the Supreme Court’s ability to challenge parliamentary decisions to changing the way judges are selected.
In Israel, which does not have a formal constitution, the judiciary plays a critical oversight