Tens of thousands of Israelis have protested outside parliament against the government's controversial judicial reform plan, which aims to give lawmakers substantially more control over the supreme court.
The measures, which were inching towards approval through a series of preliminary votes inside the chamber, have provoked widespread criticism and charges that they would give the legislative branch nearly unchecked authority.
Outside Israel's Knesset in Jerusalem, protesters filled the grounds with a sea of blue and white Israeli flags and waved placards that read "Save Israel democracy" and "The whole world is watching".
Multiple media outlets estimated the crowd at between 80,000 and 90,000, and the national rail service said it had expanded its Tel Aviv to Jerusalem service to accomodate the masses of people seeking to reach parliament.
President Isaac Herzog, in a rare national address late Sunday focused on the reform plan, warned that Israel was "on the verge of legal and social collapse".
Mr Herzog, who holds a largely ceremonial role, urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hardline right-wing government to pause the legislative process and hold talks with the opposition in hopes of reaching a compromise.
"I am appealing to you with a request not to introduce the bill for its first reading," Mr Herzog said.
But the committee tasked with reviewing a plan in line with Justice Minister Yariv Levin's proposal approved sections of the legislation yesterday.
'End of democratic era'
It was not immediately clear when the government would set a first vote in parliament.
Three plenum votes are required before a bill becomes law.
There were minor disturbances in the hearing room when opposition lawmakers left their chairs to verbally confront committee chairman Simcha Rotman.
Security personnel restrained at least two opposition members.
Mr Netanyahu accused opposition lawmakers of going "on a rampage inside the Knesset".
"I call on the leaders of the opposition to stop it," the premier said in a statement. "Stop deliberately leading the country into anarchy... Show some responsibility and leadership."
Lapid had earlier told journalists that the bill's passage would mark "the end of the democratic era of this country", calling the Netanyahu government "extremist and corrupt".
Mr Netanyahu and his allies say the reforms are necessary to correct a power imbalance between elected representatives and the nation's top court.
His government wants to give the government de facto control over supreme court nominees, a role currently held by a mixed panel of politicians, judges and bar association members.
Mr Levin's plan would also give parliament the power to override supreme court decisions through a simple majority vote.
Corruption trial
Critics, including supreme court president Esther Hayut, have condemned the bill as an assault on the independence of Israel's judiciary.
Some of Mr Netanyahu's critics have also tied the reform plan to his ongoing corruption trial, arguing he is seeking to undermine a judicial system he has accused of targeting him unfairly for political reasons.
Mr Netanyahu has denied the corruption charges.
The veteran leader, who reclaimed power late last year after spending 14 months in opposition, has also firmly rejected any link between the justice minister's proposal and his own trial.
Mr Levin, reacting to Mr Herzog's proposal, told Israeli media that he was prepared for and "wishes to engage in genuine dialogue with the members of the opposition" on ways to improve the judiciary.
But he rejected any "linkage... between dialogue and moving forward with the legislative process".
He warned that agreeing to work with the opposition should not "become a means for foot-dragging in order to delay and to prevent a substantive and meaningful reform to the justice system".
Mr Herzog, in his national address, conceded that changes were needed to improve the judiciary and make it more responsive to the "range of opinions" in Israel, but warned against giving another branch of government a "structural majority" over the court.
US 'deeply troubled' by Israeli settlement move
Meanwhile, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said he opposes Israel's retroactive authorization of Jewish settler outposts in the occupied West Bank, adding that he was "deeply troubled" by the move that came less than two weeks after he raised US opposition to such moves on a trip to the region.
"We strongly oppose such unilateral measures, which exacerbate tensions and undermine the prospects for a negotiated two-state solution," Mr Blinken said in a statement, reiterating his call for all parties to avoid actions that can further escalate tensions between Israelis and Palestinians.
Israel's move on Sunday to legalize nine settler outposts in and build new homes within established settlements came after months of simmering violence in the West Bank.
US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Mr Blinken had made his opposition to the legalisation of settler outposts clear during the visit to Israel and the West Bank that concluded on 31 January.
Asked what the United States would do about the Israeli move to go ahead with authorizations, Mr Price did not outline any actions.
"Israel of course is going to make its own sovereignd ecisions. We have made our opinion, our very strong opinion on this very clear," Mr Price said.
US officials were having "intensive discussions" with Israel, the Palestinians and other countries in the region, and US efforts to de-escalate tensions would continue, he added.
A senior Israeli official, who declined to be identified,said Israel was not surprised by the US response since the two sides have disagreed on the issue for decades.
"These disagreements did not hurt and will not hurt the strong alliance between Israel and the United States," the official said.
