Israel’s two-month-old protest movement took to the streets for a “day of disruption” as the parliament passed the first part of the hardline government’s controversial judicial changes into law, writes The Guardian.

The legislation, designed to protect the position of the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was approved early on Thursday, after a heated all-night debate, by 61 votes to 47 – the minimum majority required.

On Thursday evening, Netanyahu made a televised address in which he called for unity, pledging to protect civil rights and democracy.

“We can’t let any disagreement, however fierce, endanger our joint future”, - he said. “To avoid a rift in the people, each side must take seriously the claims and concerns of the other”.