Israeli Supreme Court hands Netanyahu a loss on judicial overhaul as Hamas war rages

The Israeli Supreme Court delivered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a major defeat in his efforts to overhaul the country's judicial system on Monday.

The court struck down a component of Netanyahu's reforms that banned judges from overturning government decisions the court deems "unreasonable." Netanyahu's government had passed the legislation in July.

In the 8-7 decision, the court argued the law threatened a "severe and unprecedented harm to the core character of the State of Israel as a democratic country."

Controversy around Netanyahu's reform efforts led to widespread unrest in Israel throughout the summer, with tens of thousands of citizens protesting the move. That division was essentially set aside following Hamas' Oct. 7 massacre, however.