Your Tuesday briefing: Netanyahu changes course

Also, the trip of a former Taiwanese president to China and American diplomacy in Africa.

ImageProtesters en route to a large demonstration in Jerusalem on Monday.Credit...Avishag Shaar-Yashuv for The New York Times

Netanyahu steps back

Prime Mi Pastor Benjamin Netanyahu has announced he will delay his government's controversial plans to overhaul Israel's justice system, after days of massive street protests, counter-protests and strikes that have halted some health services and prevented flights from leaving Israel's main airport. Follow live updates.

Netanyahu's U-turn came after the leader of a powerful far-right political party, Itamar Ben-Gvir, said he was ready to postpone the vote, giving Netanyahu room to step back. His concession is an attempt to defuse civil unrest, but he risks destabilizing the government. Many of his far-right coalition partners had resisted any suggestion of delaying the vote.

"When it is possible to prevent a civil war by dialogue, I as prime minister take a break for dialogue,” Netanyahu said in a speech announcing the delay.

It was unclear whether the delay would calm the protests. Israel's main union called off a general strike after the announcement, but a protest group said it would continue to demonstrate until the proposal is...