The Financial Times reports that Israel’s parliament has voted to advance a bitterly contested judicial overhaul that has sparked mass protests across the country and drawn concern from US officials. Tens of thousands of Israelis rallied outside the parliament against the plans ahead of the vote, which finally took place in the early hours of Tuesday morning, after a turbulent debate during which opposition lawmakers chanted “shame” and wrapped themselves in Israeli flags. The Guardian adds that: “The “Israeli spring”, as commentators are starting to call it, is a rare show of unity in what is normally a deeply polarised society. Afraid that the proposals curbing the power of the Supreme Court will start Israel down an authoritarian path similar to that of Turkey and Hungary.  Upwards of 100,000 people have taken to the streets every Saturday night in cities across the country to voice their opposition. As of last week, protests are taking place outside Israel’s parliament too, and several industries have held strikes”. In another article, The Guardian reports that Benjamin Netanyahu has accused protesters of “trampling democracy”, vowing that his far-right coalition will move ahead with controversial legislation to restrict the power of the judiciary.

The Financial Times also publishes an opinion piece saying: “Israeli politics is in crisis. Many people have demonstrated on the streets against the right-wing coalition’s extensively criticised “judicial reforms”. The president, Isaac Herzog, has even declared that “We are no longer in a political debate but on the brink of constitutional and social collapse.” The programme of this government is of evident importance for the future of the country. But it is also of wider significance. This is partly because of Israel’s role in the region. It is also because what is happening raises questions about how a democracy can turn into an autocracy via unbridled majoritarianism.”

The Financial Times also reports that Israel’s finance minister has vowed to maintain the independence of the country’s central bank after a cabinet colleague criticised it for raising interest rates. Bezalel Smotrich, an ultranationalist who called himself a “proud homophobe” and heads the Religious Zionist party, said the independence of the Bank of Israel was “fundamental” for the development of the economy and warned against “populist statements” that threaten it.

The BBC reports Israel has said it will pause building new settlements in the occupied West Bank for “the coming months”. The move appears to be the fruit of behind-the-scenes talks by the US with Israeli and Palestinian officials. It comes as Palestinian leaders are being heavily criticised for agreeing to the withdrawal of a UN Security Council resolution on settlements. The council instead issued a symbolic statement expressing “deep concern and dismay” at recent developments.

The Guardian reports that The US Supreme Court has let stand an Arkansas law penalising boycotts of Israel that has provided the model for a proliferation of similar legislation to protect oil companies, gun makers and other contentious industries from political protest movements. The supreme court declined to hear an appeal from the editor of the Arkansas Times, Alan Leveritt, after a federal court upheld a law requiring him to sign a commitment not to boycott Israel in order to receive advertising contracts from the state.

The Telegraph reports that Israel’s status as a gay-friendly beacon in the Middle East has been tainted by the revelation that a party in its new government once drew up a blacklist of high-profile LGBT figures. The list of 50 names, which was compiled by the far-Right Noam party and recently exposed by an investigative journalist, has shocked the gay community in Israel. Avi Maoz, the leader of Noam, has been appointed to the Israeli government by prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and given some influence over education policy. According to the exposé by Nadav Eyal, a correspondent for Ynet, the list was drawn up by the ultra-conservative Noam party to preserve “Jewish identity”.

Reuters reports that Yuli Edelstein, head of the Israeli parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, called on Tuesday for the country to stop “fence-sitting” on Ukraine and provide it with military defences against Russia, which he accused of “terrorism”. While it has condemned the Russian invasion and provided Ukraine with humanitarian relief and protective gear, Israel has stopped short of widening the assistance to include defence technologies like missile interceptors.

Channel 12 News reports that Prime Minister Netanyahu held five secret meetings since the beginning of January where decisions were made to ramp up Israel’s preparedness and readiness to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities. The meetings were also attended by Defence Minister Yoav Galant, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, the Mossad director, the National Security Council director, the commander of the IDF Operations Directorate and other senior IDF officials. The position taken at those meetings—a position that Netanyahu shared with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and French President Emmanuel Macron—was that if they failed to act in the face of the developments in Iran, Israel would be forced to act. The meetings were held amid reports that Iran has enriched uranium to 84%. At 90%, Iran would have reached the level needed for manufacturing a nuclear bomb.

Maariv continues to cover Israeli counter-terror operation in the West Bank. The paper reports eleven people wanted for terrorist activity were arrested by the security forces on Monday night. The paper details various raid including a special forces operation in Jenin where two men who were wanted for their alleged involvement in terrorism were arrested. During the operation, one of the suspects tried to escape and jumped out of his house, but was caught by the troops, who had the house surrounded. A search of the house turned up large quantities of ammunition in addition to four M-16 rifles and two pistols. In the coming weeks, the IDF Central Command will continue to train and prepare for a possible escalation in hostilities during Ramadan, which will begin one month from now.

Yediot Ahronot reports that the shekel plummeted yesterday despite the Bank of Israel’s decision to raise interest rates for the eighth consecutive time. The dollar gained 2.4% against the shekel, which is the highest it has been since March 2020. The British pound gained 3% against the shekel and is now trading at NIS 4.41. Finance Minister Smotrich, trying to reassure the public, wrote a rare tweet in English: “As Finance Minister, I stand firmly against populist statements threatening the Bank of Israel’ independence. As a government, we will deliver a budget that invests heavily in infrastructure for economic growth as well as a package of assistance for those truly in need.” Haaretz adds that the decision was part of the Bank of Israel’s fight against rapidly rising inflation and is expected to lead to higher interest rates on loans and mortgages. The average monthly mortgage payment has now risen by about 900 shekels (about $250) in less than a year.

Israel Hayom reports that the Civil Administration’s Supreme Planning and Construction Committee is convening today and tomorrow. The committee is expected to approve thousands of new housing units for the first time in around nine months. 2000 houses are expected to be given final approval, with 8,000 houses in total expected to be approved. The Supreme Planning and Construction Committee is expected to approve the construction of a nearly unprecedented number of housing units across the West Bank. The committee will be implementing the second half of the security cabinet decision to approve construction in response to the terror attacks in Jerusalem’s Neve Yaakov and Ramot. Haaretz adds that a United Nations Security Council presidential statement published Monday expresses “deep concern and dismay” with Israel’s plans to legalise West Bank outposts and dramatically expand settlement construction. US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield backed the UN statement, saying that the US opposes Israel’s “unilateral measures that exacerbate tensions. They harm trust between the parties. They undermine the prospects for a negotiated two-state solution. The United States does not support these actions. Full stop.”

Walla News reports on hundreds of ultra-Orthodox men protesting last night in Jerusalem. Police arrested two demonstrators for acts of vandalism that included throwing stones at the light rail.  They were protesting the arrest of four suspects who were accused of damaging shops selling mobile phones. Buses of protestors arrived from Ramat Bet Shemesh.