Israel's judicial reform could destroy democracy from within, says former PM Ehud Barak
For months, Israel has been embroiled in political turmoil over the government's plan to overhaul the judiciary. But how much of a risk are the reforms to Israeli democracy?
For former PM Ehud Barak, what current PM Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu and his far-right allies want to do will eliminate the last check on executive power in Israel. By that, he means the independence of the courts.
Barak tells Ian Bremmer on GZERO World that a democracy like Israel should be capable of protecting itself from those who are using the tools the system offers "to destroy it from within."
No wonder, then, that roughly 5% of the country's population has taken to the streets to protest the overhaul. The scale has surprised Barak, a longtime Bibi critic. "I did not expect it to be so powerful and creative," he says.
Watch the interview in the upcoming episode of "GZERO World with Ian Bremmer," airing on US public television nationwide. Check local listings.
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