Thousands protest at Israeli airport amid judicial overhaul crisis

By Ahmed Asmar

ANKARA (AA) - Thousands demonstrated at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport on Tuesday against the passing of a bill that would curb the powers of the Supreme Court.

The protest was part of a series of demonstrations staged by the Israeli opposition under the theme “Day of Resistance” against a government plan for judicial reform.

Protesters were confined by police to a cordoned-off area in order to avoid hindering access to the airport, The Times of Israel newspaper reported.

Some 84,000 passengers are scheduled to fly in and out of the airport on Tuesday on some 500 flights.

Nearly 66 protesters were arrested by Israeli police on Tuesday during anti-judicial reform protests.

The Knesset (Israel’s parliament) early Tuesday passed a bill in its first reading by 64-56 votes to limit the Supreme Court's powers. The bill, however, would require second and third readings in order to be an effective law.

Another bill was also passed that would make it harder to remove the prime minister on corruption charges that still hang over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israel has been in political turmoil in recent months over the planned judicial reform by the Netanyahu government, which the opposition views as a power grab in favor of executive authority.

The Israeli opposition accuses Netanyahu, who is on trial on corruption charges, of using the judicial overhaul to distance away possible judgments against him.

Netanyahu denies the charges and rejects any link between the judicial changes and his own case.