[1/2] People demonstrate on the 'Day of National Resistance' in protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his nationalist coalition government's judicial overhaul, in Tel Aviv, Israel July 18, 2023. REUTERS/Nir EliasJERUSALEM, July 19 (Reuters) - The Israeli government could rethink its polarising drive to overhaul the judiciary if there is a major escalation in protests, a cabinet minister said on Wednesday, in a signal of pliability as Washington tries to close ranks with its ally. Netanyahu confidant Culture Minister Miki Zohar offered rare acknowledgement of the impact of six-month-old demonstrations, which surged in March after the premier fired Israel's defence minister for openly voicing worry at the impact on the military. He declared those fruitless last month, and revived the bill limiting Supreme Court powers to void some government decisions. Proponents of the change pursued by Netanyahu's religious-nationalist coalition say the Supreme Court has become too interventionist and that the change will facilitate effective governance.

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Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Nir Elias JERUSALEM, Joe Biden, Tzachi Hanegbi, Netanyahu, Miki Zohar, Yoav Gallant's, Zohar, Kan, Israel Hayom, Ari Rabinovitch, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: of, Israeli, REUTERS, Washington, U.S, National Security, Netanyahu's, Ben Gurion, Israel, Defence Ministry, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: Tel Aviv, Israel