Israeli lawyers rally against judicial 'destruction' plans

Hundreds of Israeli lawyers rallied outside a Tel Aviv court on Thursday to protest against the government's controversial plans to overhaul and neuter the power of the Israeli judicial system.

Israel's judiciary - long accused for upholding racist, apartheid laws against Palestinians passed by the Knesset - is in uproar against proposals that will allow politicians to override Supreme Court decisions and politicise judicial appointments. 

Wearing her black robe, lawyer Orna Sher said the "dangerous" proposals by Justice Minister Yariv Levin were a threat to Israeli  "democracy".

"The nomination of judges will be political. Court won't be independent, but controlled by politicians," the 66-year-old said outside the district court.

Levin wants to hand more powers to members of parliament in appointing judges, which are currently picked through a panel of magistrates, lawyers and politicians, under the supervision of the justice ministry.

He has also proposed a "derogation clause", which would allow parliament to annul a Supreme Court decision with a simple majority.

The drastic overhaul of the Israeli judiciary is part of a raft of outlandish proposals being tabled by the extremist right-wing government of returning prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Analysts say  the derogation clause could allow lawmakers to uphold the annulment of the corruption charges facing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, should parliament vote to absolve him and the Supreme Court then rule against it.

In an open letter published Thursday, a group of former state attorneys and attorney generals said they were "shocked" by Levin's programme.

"We call on the government to retract the plan it published and prevent the severe damage to the court system and rule of law," wrote the 11 senior jurists, many of whom also served as Supreme Court judges.

In Tel Aviv, lawyer Bruria Lekner said the proposed measures amounted to "destruction and a regression."