The situation in Israel has deteriorated dramatically with the dismissal of Defense Minister Joav Galant for criticizing a highly controversial judicial reform. Tens of thousands of people flocked to the streets of the coastal city of Tel Aviv on Monday night to protest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision. In view of the precarious situation, the head of the right-wing religious government held an emergency meeting to discuss how to proceed. He is said to have discussed a possible suspension of the reform project with leading coalition politicians. According to media reports, the army was put on increased alert because of the chaotic developments.
Netanyahu had dismissed Galant, who belongs to his right-wing conservative Likud party, because of his call to halt judicial reform. There have been violent protests for months against the reform, which aims to curtail the influence of the Supreme Court and strengthen the government’s position of power at the expense of the independent judiciary. The previous defense minister called on the government to engage in dialogue with critics on Saturday evening. He warned that national security is at stake. For weeks there has been talk of growing resentment in the military, and numerous reservists did not show up for duty in protest against the reform.
The anger of many people who fear for democracy in Israel is breaking out in the streets. After 200,000 people had already flocked there on Saturday, countless demonstrators with Israeli flags blocked the central road to Jerusalem on Sunday evening in Tel Aviv and set tires on fire. The police used cavalry squadrons and water cannons against the crowd, from which stones were thrown at the emergency services. Angry people broke through a roadblock next to Netanyahu’s home in Jerusalem, and the head of the domestic intelligence agency Shin Bet went there that night.
Netanyahu discussed a possible halt to the reform with several ministers in his cabinet from Sunday evening until late into the night, the Jerusalem Post reported. Justice Minister Jariv Levin, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Education Minister Joav Kisch and Strategic Minister Ron Dermer took part in the crisis talks in his office. Citing sources in the Likud party, it was said that Dermer and Kisch had called for the reform to be suspended. Levin, on the other hand, insisted on going through with the project against all odds, threatening to resign.
The coalition leaders are said to want to discuss how to proceed in the morning. According to the Haaretz newspaper, influential Likud politicians are demanding the resignation of Justice Minister Levin, who linked his political fate to the reform. In a joint statement, opposition politicians Jair Lapid and Benny Gantz called on Netanyahu’s party colleagues “not to participate in the destruction of national security”. The head of government “crossed a red line”.
Netanyahu’s three-month-old coalition – the furthest right the country has ever had – actually wanted to implement core elements of the reform in the coming days. However, due to recent events, it is unclear whether a law will be voted on Monday as planned, which is intended to give government politicians more influence in the appointment of judges.
The government accuses the Supreme Court of improper interference in political decisions. In the future, Parliament should be able to overturn decisions of the Supreme Court with a simple majority. The prime minister should be better protected against impeachment. Critics see the separation of powers in danger, some even warn against the creeping introduction of a dictatorship.
The plans also sparked considerable criticism internationally. Even the US government, Israel’s most important ally, was “deeply concerned” in a statement: In view of the planned “fundamental changes to a democratic system”, the White House called on the Israeli leadership “strongly to find a compromise as soon as possible”.
Israeli universities announced on Sunday evening a temporary teaching freeze in protest against Galant’s dismissal and the reform plans. Several mayors went on hunger strike, demanding an immediate containment of the national crisis. The trade union confederation (Histadrut) scheduled a press conference for Monday, apparently to call a general strike.
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warned that Israel was in the greatest danger since the Yom Kippur War in 1973. At the time, Arab states had surprisingly attacked Israel on the most important Jewish holiday. Bennett called on Netanyahu to reverse Galant’s sacking, suspend reform and engage in dialogue with opponents. He warned the demonstrators not to use violence and to prevent bloodshed. “We are brothers,” wrote Bennett.
Security experts warn that enemies of Israel – above all Iran, the Lebanese Hezbollah militia and militant Palestinian organizations in the Gaza Strip – could seize the opportunity to attack the country, which has been weakened by the domestic political crisis.
