Israelis hold 24th weekly protest against Netanyahu's judicial reform plan

Protests against government plans for judicial overhaul have continued for the 24th straight week in Israel.

Thousands of protesters demonstrated on Saturday at Nahalal and Karkur in northern Israel.

Other protests were reported in Tel Aviv, Haifa, Rehovot, Holon and Herzliya, The Jerusalem Post newspaper reported.

Protests in Tel Aviv were joined by opposition leader Yair Lapid and former foreign minister Tzipi Livni, according to Haaretz newspaper.

Israel has been in political turmoil over the past few months over plans by the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for judicial reforms, which the opposition views as a power grab in favour of the executive authority.

Netanyahu, however, insists that his plan would enhance democracy and restore the balance among the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government.

The government accuses activist judges of increasingly usurping the role of parliament and says the overhaul is needed to restore the balance between the judiciary and elected politicians.

In March, Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption, bowed to pressure and announced a temporary halt to the plans amid protests across the country.

The plans plunged Israel into one of its worst domestic crises, ripping open longstanding societal rifts and creating new ones.