Israel judicial crisis updates: Netanyahu says vote ‘necessary’

This blog is now closed, thanks for joining us. These were the updates on Israel’s judicial crisis on Monday, July 24.

This blog is now closed, thanks for joining us. These were the updates on Israel’s judicial crisis on Monday, July 24.

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defended as “necessary” a parliamentary vote for a key clause of the government’s controversial judicial reform package, despite ongoing mass protests and international concern.
• The Knesset, Israel’s parliament, voted into law a contested curb on some Supreme Court powers submitted by the government.
• The bill passed by a 64-0 vote after opposition lawmakers abandoned the Knesset plenum in protest.
• Earlier, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid revealed that talks to reach a solution to the contentious judicial overhaul reform bill had failed.
• The United States said it was “unfortunate” that Israel had passed a bill aiming to curb the powers of the country’s top court with a slim majority.