Israel ex-security head backs uproar

Military reservists sign a declaration to not report on duty. Pic/AP

The former head of Israel's internal security agency voiced support on Thursday for military reservists refusing to serve in protest of the government's planned judicial overhaul, drawing fierce criticism from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ultranationalist allies days before parliament was set to vote on a key piece of legislation.

A parliamentary committee approved late Wednesday a bill that would curtail the high court's remit in using the "reasonability standard," a legal yardstick allowing judges to overturn decisions made by elected officials deemed beyond the pale.

Nadav Argaman, a former head of the Shin Bet internal security agency, said he was very worried that the country is on the verge of a civil war. "We need to stop this legislation by any means. Until now defending Israel was done on the battlefield. From their perspective, as of today, defending Israel means preserving Israeli democracy."

Netanyahu froze the legislation in March following massive demonstrations and labor strikes, but rebooted it in recent weeks.

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