"Protests ignite as Bar Association rallies against judicial overhaul"
Protests erupted in Israel as the Bar Association held an emergency meeting to discuss the government's controversial judicial overhaul. The newly elected chief of the Bar Association criticized the government for advancing a bill that would limit courts' ability to strike down governmental decisions. Former attorney general Avichai Mandelblit warned that the government wants to destroy the independence of the judiciary, leading to authoritarian rule. The bill is expected to be approved and passed into law next week. Street protests, warning strikes, and military reservists refusing to serve have all escalated in response to the overhaul. The Bar Association itself is also a target of the overhaul, with a bill being prepared to strip it of much of its authority.