Israel's political conflict deepens over new legal law

Business leaders and top legal officials are some of the groups that are rooted in broad swaths of society. Even the country's military is enmeshed in the political conflict, as some reservists are refusing to show up for duty over the changes, as seen as a beacon of stability by Israel's Jewish majority. Israel s international allies have expressed concern.

The law to protect Netanyahu passed 61 -- 47 in Israel's 120 seat Knesset, or parliament.

It stipulates that a prime minister may only be deemed unfit to rule for health or mental reasons and that only he or his government can make that decision. It comes after the country's attorney general has been facing growing calls by Netanyahu opponents to declare him unfit to rule over his legal problems. The attorney general has barred Netanyahu from participating in the legal overhaul, saying he is at risk of a conflict of interest because of his corruption trial.

The Movement for Quality Government in Israel, a good governance organization, said it was challenging the law in court, which could lead to a first showdown between judges and the government over the legal changes. The overhaul could cause a constitutional crisis that could cause Israel to be in chaos over who should be obeyed, the government or the courts, according to experts.

On Thursday, protesters launched a fourth day of demonstrations. They blocked major thoroughfares, set tires ablaze near an important seaport and draped a large Israeli flag and a banner with the country's Declaration of Independence over the walls of Jerusalem's Old City. The police said they made several arrests around the country. Among the arrested were Shikma Bressler, one of the protest leaders, according to organizers.

Protesters blocked the main highway in Tel Aviv and police used water cannon to disperse demonstrators in the city and Haifa in the north.

After what he said was an attack on the Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter, a former head of the Shin Bet domestic security agency, Netanyahu called on opposition leaders to stop the anarchy immediately. A protester on social media showed a flagpole in Dichter's direction, hitting him once on the head, but he appeared unharmed and continued walking.

A protest was planned later in the day in a large ultra-Orthodox city near Tel Aviv. The demonstration s organizers say it's meant to drive home to the community that their rights are in danger under the overhaul. Ultra-Orthodox leaders see the demonstration in their midst as provocative.