Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets in Israel to protest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s sacking of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Netanyahu fired his minister after he said on television that his controversial legal reforms should not go ahead. According to Israeli media, the Israeli cabinet is considering postponing controversial legal reforms.
The reform provides fewer powers for the Supreme Court and more powers for Parliament. Critics say this is a serious threat to democracy. Israel is strongly divided over the proposed legislative changes that the right-wing coalition wants to implement and the protests have been going on for months. On television, Minister Gallant called the division a serious threat to national security, because it has also penetrated the military and security services.
strikes
Israeli media report that demonstrations are taking place in more than 150 places and that after the announcement of his resignation, protesters marched towards Netanyahu’s house. According to the Jerusalem Post, mass strikes have also been called. Some Israeli hospitals are on strike today, as are some universities. The Histadrut union is also expected to join the strikes today.
Israel’s women’s rights movement Bonot Alternative said it would hold “the largest economic strike by women” today, as Jerusalem city officials plan to go on hunger strike outside the prime minister’s office today.
Bibi Netanyahu’s far-right government announced reform plans earlier this year, shortly after Netanyahu’s new cabinet took office. The main element of the bill is that the Supreme Court can no longer intervene if a majority of the parliament supports a law that conflicts with existing laws.
Compromise
A White House spokesman said the United States had urged Israeli leaders to find a compromise as soon as possible. “As the president recently discussed with Prime Minister Netanyahu, democratic values ​​have always characterized the relationship between the United States and Israel, and should continue to do so,” said Adrienne Watson, spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council.
Dismissal
Yesterday, the Israeli consul general in New York said he would resign in protest of Netanyahu’s treatment of his defense minister. “I can no longer represent this government,” Asaf Zamir said on Twitter. “I believe it is my duty to ensure that Israel remains a beacon of democracy and freedom in the world.”
Opposition leader Yair Lapid said Gallant’s resignation was “a new low for the anti-Zionist government which is harming national security and ignoring the warnings of all defense officials”.
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
