Israeli Parl passes law to ‘protect’ PM Netanyahu

Tel Aviv, March 23

Israel’s parliament on Thursday passed the first of several laws that make up its contentious judicial overhaul as protesters opposing the changes staged another day of demonstrations.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition approved legislation that would protect the Israeli leader from being deemed unfit to rule over his corruption trial and claims of a conflict of interest surrounding his involvement in the legal changes.

The law to protect the PM passed 61-47 in Israel’s 120-seat Knesset, or Parliament. It stipulates that a PM can only be deemed unfit to rule for health or mental reasons and that only he or his government can make that decision.

It comes after the country’s attorney general has faced growing calls by Netanyahu opponents to declare him unfit to rule. — AP