July 23 (UPI) — Israel’s parliament has begun debating a controversial judicial reform bill on Sunday as the nation’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a procedure to receive a pacemaker.
The judicial reform bill has been at the center of protests for several months. Protesters and opposition leaders fear that the new judicial reform process, which would give the sitting government the control to make crucial judicial appointments, could threaten democracy.
Netanyahu and other proponents of the bill argue that it is necessary to stymie judicial overreach.
Debate over the bill is expected to last as many as 26 hours to allow for a large volume of lawmakers to speak, according to CNN. A final vote may come as soon as Monday.
If voted into law, it would also remove the power of the Supreme Court to limit the government’s decision-making power. The bill is likely to face legal challenges if it passes through the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. The Israel Bar Association is among the organizations preparing to challenge the law in court.
Last week, President Joe Biden said Israel must reach a “consensus” on judicial reform, urging that democratic values are a significant tenet of the relationship between the United States and Israel.
Netanyahu, meanwhile, is in the hospital being fitted with a pacemaker. The 73-year-old was hospitalized late Saturday at the Sheba Medical Center. A heart monitor indicated abnormalities with his heart and he underwent an emergency procedure early Sunday, The Guardian reported.
According to the BBC, the procedure was completed with no complications and Netanyahu is not in a life-threatening condition. Netanyahu spoke on video on Twitter, saying that he feels “excellent.”
