After weeks of protests and mass opposition that shook the country and led to a division in society, the Knesset (the Israeli parliament) today, Monday, gave its final approval to a law that prevents courts from reviewing the reasonableness of government and ministerial decisions, marking the first major bill passed in the government's judicial reform.

The bill was approved by a majority of 64 votes with none against it, as opposition Knesset members boycotted the final vote on the bill in protest.

Within the Knesset, multiple last-minute attempts to amend the bill or reach a broader procedural settlement with the opposition failed, and two proposed frameworks for compromise from a union leader and the president were rejected, along with a series of ideas to unilaterally soften the legislation. Discussions between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and key coalition leaders did not yield any results even as the Knesset prepared to vote.

The vote came after nearly 30 hours of continuous debate that started on Sunday morning, during which hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets, both for and against limiting judicial controls over political power.

According to the text of the law, courts are prohibited from exercising any scrutiny over the "reasonableness" of cabinet and ministerial decisions, including appointments and the choice to refrain from exercising granted authorities.

Protests erupted across the country, with some protesters marching on Begin Highway, the largest gathering in the capital, blocking the road and disrupting traffic. Protest leaders stated that they "have just begun," and that they will intensify protests against the "government of destruction," pledging to "fight them to the end." The police began using water cannons to disperse the protesters and restore traffic.

Protesters against the government announced they would organize a major march outside the Knesset at 6 PM today to denounce the Knesset's decision, which is expected to include former security leaders, activists, and former politicians.

After the approval of the reasonableness law, many politicians in the coalition expressed hope that the opposition would agree to enter negotiations on upcoming reform bills, as the Knesset is now set to begin its summer recess for several months.

The Movement for Quality Government has just submitted a petition to the Supreme Court against the annulment of the reasonableness standard, with the organization's president Eliad Sharaga stating, "The government of destruction has lifted its malicious hand against the State of Israel, and now it is the Supreme Court's turn to escalate and prevent this legislation."

The organization claims that the law is unconstitutional because it fundamentally alters the basic structure of Israeli parliamentary democracy and the nature of the system, effectively nullifying the judiciary and causing severe damage to the delicate fabric of the separation of powers and the system of checks and balances in the State of Israel.

The White House expressed its regret over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government's decision to pass the first piece of legislation from the judicial reform package, noting that it was done without the consensus that the Biden administration has insisted for months is necessary to adopt such fundamental reforms.

White House National Security Council spokesman said, "It is unfortunate that today’s vote was conducted with the smallest possible majority. We believe that to make significant democratic changes, we need to work towards consensus, so we urge Israeli leaders to strive for a consensus-based approach through political dialogue."

On the other hand, police confirmed the reopening of Begin Road in Jerusalem after hours of closure due to protestors, following the arrest of a person who threw objects at officers while they were working to disperse the crowds.

In the same context, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir stated, "Passing the law was just the beginning, and there are many laws we need to pass as part of the judicial reform."

Justice Minister Levin and other right-wing politicians have faced criticism on social media as well as from some right-wing commentators for their celebratory photos moments after the passage of the reasonableness law, with one opponent writing, "Do you know how painful this is for many people? Millions of Israelis are now worried, truly sad and scared, so why do you need to celebrate and take these photos? What is the benefit of that?"

Israeli companies traded on American stock exchanges took a hit as the market opened after the Knesset passed the reasonableness law into legislation.

Numerous exchange-traded funds that include Israeli companies on American stock exchanges saw their stock prices drop by about 1.5% in morning trading, while the rest of the American market was trending upward.

Business leaders have consistently warned that judicial reform will harm the Israeli economy, including by fueling uncertainty and discouraging foreign investment.