ISRAEL’S Supreme Court today began hearing a challenge to a law that makes it harder to remove a sitting prime minister.

The latest challenge to the controversial moves by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right government to reshape the country’s justice system comes as Israeli authorities reopened a key Gaza crossing point for Palestinian labourers after sealing it last week.

The Supreme Court hearing is part of several pivotal court challenges against a proposed package of legislation and government steps meant to alter the country’s justice system. 

Mr Netanyahu’s governing coalition forced an amendment through parliament in March which allows a prime minister to be deemed unfit to rule only for medical or mental health reasons. 

Under the amendment, only the prime minister or the government has the power to determine a leader’s unfitness.

Experts say that the amendment expressly strips the attorney general, who historically wields the power to declare a prime minister unfit for office, of the ability to do so.

Critics say the new law is said to be tailor-made for Mr Netanyahu and protects him from being deemed unfit for office over claims that he violated a conflict of interest agreement by pushing through the legal overhaul while on trial himself for corruption charges. 

Thursday’s hearing focused on whether the law should come into effect after the next national elections and not immediately, so that it isn’t interpreted as a personalised law. 

“We are trying to repeal the undemocratic and unconstitutional statute which allowed an unfit and improper prime minister to remain in his position,” said Eliad Shraga, chairman of the Movement for Quality Government in Israel, one of the groups that is challenging the amendment.

Simcha Rothman, a main driver of the overhaul, said that challenging the law was akin to throwing out the results of a legitimate election.

“The moment the court determines the laws, then it is also the legislative branch, the judiciary and the executive branch,” he said. 

This comes as Israel decided on Thursday to reopen a main crossing with the Gaza Strip allowing thousands of Palestinian labourers to enter the country for the first time since sealing it last week.

The Erez crossing is the sole pedestrian passageway out of the coastal enclave into Israel for the roughly 18,000 Palestinians from Gaza who work in Israel. 

Israeli authorities say the continued crossing opening depends on a quiet security situation.