(JNS) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his planned judicial overhaul would not hurt Israel's democracy.
The plans being pursued by Netanyahu and his right-wing government include a decision to trim Supreme Court powers to overrule government actions.
However, the plans have opened a deep divide in Israeli society, triggering weeks of protests.
But in an interview on Thursday, Netanyahu said the amendment to one of Israel's Basic Laws, which function as a formal constitution, was "a minor correction" to an "activist" court.
Speaking to ABC News, he added: “It's described as the end of Israeli democracy - I think that's silly and when the dust settles, everybody will see it.
Demonstrators take down a riot police barrier during a protest rally (Photo: Getty Images)
The prime minister also challenged the perception that the judicial debate had disrupted Israeli-US relations.
He pointed out that he had followed White House requests to slow down, waiting seven months to institute changes.
He also noted a recent invitation from US President Joe Biden to visit the White House and called the two countries’ historic alliance “as strong as it’s ever been.”
Meanwhile, on CNN, Netanyahu refused to say whether he would obey a potential Supreme Court ruling quashing Monday's amendment.
Political watchdog groups have appealed to the Supreme Court to strike the new law, paving the way to a showdown among branches of government when it hears the arguments in September.
The Israeli prime minister has long argued the changes will balance government branches. He casts the protests as a bid to thwart his democratic mandate.
It comes after Israeli air force chief, Tomer Bar, warned the growing crisis could be exploited by Israel's enemies.
Police officers use water cannons to evacuate protesters from a main road in Jerusalem (Photo: Getty)
In a statement on Friday, he said: "It is possible that at a time like this they will try to test the frontiers, our cohesion and our alertness.
“We must continue to be vigilant and prepared, as I am sure we will be.”
In the ABC interview, Netanyahu also discussed his health, saying that following surgery this past week to get a pacemaker, he felt “terrific.”
“Man of steel,” he joked, before correcting his words to “plastic ... I think that’s what they put in there.”
