Israelis protest legal overhaul plans for 9th week

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Tens of thousands of Israelis are protesting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s contentious plan to overhaul the legal system in the country, as the government pressed on with the proposed changes despite the mass opposition. The central city of Tel Aviv saw the largest turnout in this week’s protests Saturday, with smaller demonstrations across the country. The plans were proposed weeks after Netanyahu’s most far-right government in the country’s history was sworn in. The overhauls have increasingly divided the Israeli community and given momentum to weekly protests. The debate stems from fears that the changes would weaken the Supreme Court, limit judges’ powers, and threaten democratic institutions. Netanyahu and his allies say they will rein in an unelected judiciary.