Israel's parliament this week passed a bill that strips the Supreme Court of its power to block government decisions.
The so-called reasonableness law is the first major legislation in the government's plan to weaken the judiciary. It takes away the Supreme Court's power to block government decisions by declaring them unreasonable.
It is the first part of a multipronged judicial overhaul plan that has split the country. For months, hundreds of thousands of Israelis have been taking to the streets to protest the proposed changes.
Huge crowds of angry protesters gathered outside the Knesset on Monday, attempting to block access to the parliament building. They were met with barbed wire and water cannons and at least 19 were arrested, according to Israel Police.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies call the overhaul measures "reforms" and say they are required to rebalance powers between the courts, lawmakers and the government. Opponents of the plan call it a "coup" and say it threatens to turn Israel into a dictatorship by removing the most significant checks on government actions.
Here are some of the stories that made headlines over the past week, as well as some photos that caught our eye.




























