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Israelis protest Prime Minister Netanyahu's judicial overhaul
Omar Elwafaii
Asia;Israel
Israelis protest Prime Minister Netanyahu's judicial overhaul
Israelis protest Prime Minister Netanyahu's judicial overhaul
Israelis protest Prime Minister Netanyahu's judicial overhaul
Israelis protest Prime Minister Netanyahu's judicial overhaul
Israelis protest Prime Minister Netanyahu's judicial overhaul
Israelis protest Prime Minister Netanyahu's judicial overhaul
Israelis protest Prime Minister Netanyahu's judicial overhaul

Thousands of Israelis around the country protested Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's judicial overhaul, which his opponents say is eroding democracy and will consolidate his power. 

The nation-wide demonstrations are being called a "National Day of Resistance" with crowds marching and traffic disruptions across the country.

Israeli media says that several protesters were detained in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Demonstrators in convoys coordinated to slow down traffic leading to Israel's main Ben Gurion Airport ahead of the visit of U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and a planned departure of Netanyahu abroad.

Netanyahu is on trial for graft charges, which he denies, and says his proposed changes to the country's Supreme Court will help balance power. 

French President Emanuel Macron and other western powers have showed concern that Netanyahu's plans could be hamstringing Israel’s independent judiciary, thus moving it away from democracy.

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