Illustrative. A view shows Israelis protesting, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s nationalist coalition government presses on with its judicial overhaul, in Tel Aviv, Israel March 25, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Oren Alon

i24 News – Protests engulfing Israel flared on Sunday after the party of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a compromise outline, put forth by a labor union, proposing to modify the so-called “standard of reasonableness” bill. The legislation, expected to pass on Monday, represents a key plank in the controversial judicial overhaul being implemented by Netanyahu’s rightist government.

The bill is aimed at excluding the judiciary’s right to rule on the “reasonableness” of government decisions. Netanyahu last week said the bill’s passage would boost the functioning of Israeli democracy.

The Likud party rejected a proposal by Arnon Bar-David, the leader of Israel’s national workers’ union, the Histadrut, for a compromised version of the bill, stating that it accepting the offer would’ve entailed a “one-sided acceptance of the opposition’s position as it was presented from the outset.” The Histadrut’s proposal, the hawkish party said, “completely sterilizes the amendment on the issue of reasonableness and requires an absolute veto on all other elements of the reform.”

“We shall continue to make every effort for a true compromise and expect that all sides seriously enlist for the effort, rather than trying to turn back to the starting point.”

Meanwhile throngs of protesters have begun marching through Jerusalem to the Knesset (Israeli parliament), where they will rally this evening as lawmakers deliberate the bill.

Among those marching are demonstrators who pitched a tent in a nearby public park.