Benjamin Netanyahu is the longest-serving prime minister in Israel's history. First elected more than a quarter-century ago, he served as the nation's leader from 1996 to 1999 and 2009 to 2021. Despite his being on trial for corruption, he was reelected prime minister in November 2022. Since then, he has introduced measures to allow Israel's Parliament to overrule Supreme Court decisions and give the government the power to appoint judges. These measures have triggered large-scale public protests throughout Israel. Netanyahu supporters welcome his tough stance on Iran and argue that the measures he champions will better balance the power between lawmakers and judges and bring the nation's judicial system closer to that of other Western countries. His opponents argue that the measures Netanyahu backs threaten Israel's democratic traditions, undermine the judiciary's independence, and worsen the country's relationship with the United States and Palestinians. Is Netanyahu's government heading in the wrong direction?

Originally released by Intelligence Squared US, 2023. Streaming video file encoded with permission for digital streaming by Infobase on October 30, 2023.