Israel's government said it would would legalize nine settlements in the occupied West Bank after recent attacks by Palestinians in Jerusalem. Several Western countries said they are "deeply troubled" by such a move.

At a meeting of foreign ministers, Germany's Annalena Baerbock urged Israel to abandon a plan to start executing terrorists. Her Israeli counterpart, meanwhile, warned that Iran now poses a threat to Europe.

In an interview with FRANCE 24 from Tel Aviv, former Mossad chief Dany Yatom expressed deep concern at the prospect of Israel becoming a "dictatorship". For weeks, Israel has been rocked by a wave of protests against a bill that would curtail the independence of the country's highest court.

Israelis have been protesting a judicial overhaul planned by the country's ultranationalist government. The gap between supporters and opponents of the controversial reform is widening.

More major protests in Israel against proposed justice reforms forced visiting US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold talks at or near Ben Gurion airport.

Suspected Islamist militants killed at least 19 people and burned a medical facility in a raid on a village in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo early on Sunday morning, two regional officials and a resident said.

In Israel, the ongoing protest movement against judicial reform has now spread to the ranks of the army and in particular, reservists of elite units. In recent weeks, hundreds of them have published open letters to express their doubts about continuing to serve if the plans of Benjamin Netanyahu's government are adopted.

In Israel, protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's planned judicial reform have been going on for weeks. Cultural activists say Israel's democracy is in danger. Writer Etgar Keret explains why.

Israeli lawmakers have passed legislation that drastically narrows the circumstances required to remove Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or a successor from office.

Military reservists are threatening to stop reporting for duty if Israel goes ahead with its judicial reforms. The unprecedented military protests underscore the growing opposition to the legal overhaul.

Departing flights from Israel's main international airport were canceled as protests against the government's proposed judicial overhaul intensified.

Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir announced a postponement of plans to overhaul the judiciary, which had triggered protests and strikes by those who opposed.