The Minister of Police, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has now confirmed the postponement of the government’s proposal, which his party had flatly rejected. A spokesman said on Monday that he had agreed with Prime Minister Netanyahu to postpone it until after the parliamentary break at the end of July. In return, a “national guard” will be set up under the leadership of the far-right minister. What this means in concrete terms was initially unclear.
The far-right Jewish Force party said in a statement that discussions on the bill would take place in the next parliamentary session. The reform must therefore be adopted “through dialogue”. The Israeli parliament will take a break next week. Netanyahu’s judicial reform has led to a domestic political crisis and large-scale protests.
Portal/Itai Ron Tens of thousands of government opponents rallied outside the Knesset on Monday
Tens of thousands protest outside the Knesset
Several far-right ministers have previously strongly rejected postponing the restructuring of the judiciary and called for a counter-demonstration. At the same time, according to police estimates, around 80,000 people gathered outside the Knesset in the early afternoon to further increase the pressure on Netanyahu. There was also an unprecedented general strike on Monday in Israel, according to observers.
A speech by Netanyahu, which was already expected at 9 am, is now eagerly awaited. After hours of crisis talks at his official residence, the Israeli prime minister only arrived at the Knesset in the afternoon.
Demonstration and counter-demonstration
Several ministers reportedly threatened to resign on Monday if Netanyahu freezes judicial reform or deviates from a planned course. “Come to Jerusalem. (…) We are the majority, we will raise our voices. We will not allow our voice and the state to be stolen,” said far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich in a video released on Twitter. With that, other ministers also called for protests over the imminent postponement of judicial restructuring plans.
Organizers of the pro-coalition demonstration also provided buses to bring people from across the country and from various settlements to Jerusalem, Haaretz (online edition) reported, among others.
Behind the latest escalation is the resignation of Defense Minister Yoav Galant, which Netanyahu announced on Sunday night. He called on the right-wing religious government to hold a dialogue with critics and warned that national security could be seriously undermined.
“This hour is unlike any before it”
In this context, the Chief of Staff of the Israeli army, Herzi Halevi, drew attention to himself, given the social divisions surrounding the government’s plans to reorganize the judiciary, appealed to the military to continue to fulfill their duty and to act responsibly.
“This hour is unlike any we have ever experienced. We have never seen external threats building up while a storm is brewing at home,” Halevi said in a statement released late on Wednesday by the Israeli military.
General strike increases pressure on Netanyahu
In addition to nationwide protests, opponents of the restructuring of the judiciary also increased pressure on Netanyahu on Monday with a strike likely unprecedented in Israel. The general strike called by union boss Arnon Bar-David, along with key business representatives, covers much of the country.
Tel Aviv Airport suspended all departures immediately after the announcement. The entire healthcare sector is also affected, with banks and numerous private companies also announcing the closure of their stores following the strike call. Shopping centers are also closed. The Union of Local and Regional Governments and the high-tech sector also joined the strike.
Call for a strike at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Also unique: Foreign Ministry staff representatives called on all the world’s diplomats to join the strike. “Until further notice, no consular services will be provided,” the Israeli embassy in Vienna announced on Twitter on Monday.
The Histadrut, Israel’s largest trade union, ordered all government officials to join the #Beat occur, including in Israeli diplomatic missions around the world.
No consular services will be provided until further notice. pic.twitter.com/6N7lsdnMrH
— Israel in Austria🇮🇱🇦🇹 (@IsraelinAustria) March 27, 2023
Before the strike was called, Israel’s consul general in New York, Asaf Samir, resigned in protest at Galant’s dismissal. That was “a dangerous decision,” Samir said on Twitter. The lawsuit made him realize that he “can no longer represent this government”.
Herzog’s Urgent Appeal
After Galant’s expulsion became known, tens of thousands spontaneously gathered in the coastal metropolis of Tel Aviv to protest Netanyahu’s decision. They blocked the central road to Jerusalem. For the first time, several fires were set in the street and the police used violence against the demonstrators. It was probably the most violent protests to date.
There were also protests in other Israeli cities overnight. Protesters also gathered outside Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem. They broke through a roadblock near the prime minister’s house. There were also protests in the northern city of Haifa and in Beer Sheva in the south of the country.
“For the sake of the unity of the Israeli people, for the sake of accountability, I urge you to stop the legislative process immediately,” President Herzog wrote on Twitter late on Monday.