Protests in Israel as supreme court hears challenge to judicial curbs

Striking down of reasonableness' clause abolishing ability to overrule government could trigger constitutional crisis

Israel's supreme court justices have begun hearing petitions against a key part of the rightwing government's judicial overhaul limiting the court's powers, a development that could trigger an unprecedented constitutional crisis.

For the first time, a panel of all 15 judges convened on Tuesday to discuss eight filings aimed at striking down the reasonableness" clause, passed by the Knesset in July, which abolished the supreme court's ability to overrule government decisions.