RAMALLAH: Controversial judicial reforms proposed by Israeli鈥檚 far-right coalition government pose a threat to Palestinians, an independent commission of inquiry set up by the UN said on Thursday.

The proposals, which would curb some Supreme Court powers and increase government control of judicial appointments, have set off unprecedented protests in Israel.

In a 56-page report, the commission said proposed legislation could increase taxation of pro-Palestinian NGOs and limit their ability to document Israeli soldiers鈥� activities in the occupied West Bank.

Other proposals by members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu鈥檚 extreme religious-nationalist coalition would strip Israel鈥檚 Arab minority of citizenship and enable their deportation if they commit pro-Palestinian violence, the report said.

鈥淭he proposed changes would dismantle fundamental features of the separation of powers and of the checks and balances essential in democratic political systems,鈥� it said.

鈥淟egal experts have warned that they risk weakening human rights protections, especially for the most vulnerable and disfavored communities, including Palestinian citizens.鈥�

The commission, set up by the UN鈥檚 Human Rights Council in 2021, found Israel had increasingly stifled rights advocates 鈥渢hrough harassment, threats, arrests, interrogations, arbitrary detention, torture and inhuman and degrading treatment.鈥�

The commission, which conducted about 130 interviews, also found that Palestinian authorities in the occupied West Bank and Gaza had targeted Palestinian rights activists.

鈥淭he arrest and detention of Palestinian activists by both Israeli and Palestinian authorities was noted as a particularly harsh reality for many Palestinian activists,鈥� the report said.