The fallout from the Israel protests will be felt for years to come

The ‘reforms’ proposed by the hard-right coalition strike at the independence of the judiciary – and take away legal checks and balances on political actions, writes Kim Sengupta

Airports and seaports have ceased to operate

(Reuters)

The protests in Israel over the proposed overhaul of the judicial system by Benjamin Netanyahu’s government are the largest and most fundamentally important in the country’s history, with repercussions that are going to continue for a long time.

The “reforms” proposed by the hard-right coalition strike at the independence of the judiciary – and take away legal checks and balances on political actions. It seems to me they will also personally help Netanyahu, shielding him while he faces trial for alleged corruption.

The sheer scale and breadth of the opposition to the measures, a widely supported general strike as well as demonstrations, have paralysed the country, with reverberations both national and international.