Israeli President Isaac Herzog has warned that the bitter row over legal reforms is dangerous for the country and could have serious diplomatic, economic, social and security repercussions.

"We are in a bad situation, very bad," Herzog said, according to his office, describing the situation as "an internal struggle that is tearing us apart," noting that he is making every effort to reach an agreement to save Israel from the crisis.

He added that he was meeting with everyone and listening to them, adding that he was trying to find a solution that "would establish the principles of the State of Israel for many generations."

A few days ago, Herzog spoke out against the right-wing theocratic government's plans for the first time, saying that judicial reform is wrong, oppressive, and undermines Israel's democratic foundations.

This comes as the Israeli parliament approved yesterday evening a controversial bill that would make it difficult to suspend the work of the prime minister in the country, as part of "judicial reforms" that led to mass protests for weeks.

After hours of heated debate, 61 out of 120 deputies voted in favor of the proposed bill and 51 against it in the first reading, while the rest were absent or abstained from voting.

The draft law approved by the committee after heated debate stipulates that removing the prime minister from office requires a three-quarters majority of parliament members, in a move aimed at preventing the Supreme Court or the Attorney General's office from influencing the impeachment process.

Two more Knesset readings are needed before the controversial bill goes into effect.


Continuous protests

Judicial reform in Israel is advancing rapidly, despite massive protests against the plans.

According to media reports, the religious right-wing government of Benjamin Netanyahu wants to advance key elements of the controversial plan for changes to the judiciary through swift measures before the end of this month.

There have been mass demonstrations against the judicial changes over the past 10 weeks, and attempts to reach a settlement have been unsuccessful.

Attorney General Gali Baharav Mayara warned that this change could lead to "ridiculous situations".

She said it creates a "black hole" because it prevents any legal oversight.

The amendments aim to allow Parliament to overturn Supreme Court decisions by a simple majority.

The Netanyahu government also aims to limit the ability of the Supreme Court to overturn minor laws.

This "reform" would greatly limit the possibility of the Supreme Court overturning laws, and would give the ruling coalition the power to appoint judges.

The demonstrators in Israel fear that the new government will overthrow the judicial system and seek to end Israel as a "democratic state," according to their opinion.

The government says the "reforms" are designed to end the Supreme Court's interference in politics.

Some critics of the amendments linked it to the prime minister's ongoing trial on charges of corruption, and said that he seeks to undermine the judicial system, which he has brought against him, which he denies and considers unfair and politicized.