Netanyahu defends judicial reforms, air force chief warns of security threat

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said parliament’s decision to trim Supreme Court powers to overrule government actions as part of his planned judicial overhaul would not hurt Israel’s democracy.
The plans being pursued by Netanyahu and his right-wing government have spurred months of unprecedented protests, opened up a deep divide in Israeli society, and strained the loyalties of some army reservists.
Now in its seventh month, the crisis escalated on Monday after parliament passed the first of the changes, trimming Supreme Court powers to overrule government actions and raising fears for the court’s independence.
Netanyahu went on the offensive, giving several interviews to U.S. media late on Thursday.