Netanyahu’s proposal for judicial reform sparked widespread opposition to Israeli citizenship. Author: Courier International

TEL AVIV, March 27th.— Thousands of Israelis took to the streets of Tel Aviv to protest against the plans of the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to undermine the Israeli judicial system, which means that the state was in the midst of a big crisis, expressed in dramatic days that they show it as a divided country.

According to Haaretz, Netanyahu’s government attempted to overturn several bills in Israel’s Knesset (parliament) that would drastically change the balance of power between the various branches of government in Israel, significantly weakening the country’s Supreme Court and granting almost unlimited powers to the ruling coalition. .

The ultra-religious, ultra-nationalist and far-right government of Netanyahu has been pushing legislation since early January that has met with strong opposition in Israel and abroad.

A critical component of judicial reform, a bill giving the government absolute control over the appointment of Supreme Court judges has already passed its first reading in the Knesset, and if the government decides to put it to a final vote, it will do so with just a few hours’ notice.

The protest movement is aware of how fragile any announced freeze would be, and is therefore demanding the total repeal of the law as a precondition for an end to the protests. Any statement by Netanyahu that does not match this risks further paralyzing the country, writes Haaretz.

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis from across the political, social and economic spectrum took to the streets for twelve straight weeks demonstrating across the country against the plan to neutralize the judiciary and undermine the so-called core liberal democratic values ​​of those who have nothing. attitude towards the treatment they continue to give to the Palestinians in the occupied territories.

This weekend, 200,000 people protested in Tel Aviv alone, and tens of thousands gathered elsewhere in the country, reaching a boiling point after retired General Yoav Gallant, defense minister and member of Netanyahu’s Likud party, warned that the law was going to bypassing the military and threatening their combat readiness.

Thousands of reserve soldiers and officers have said they will not be on duty if the law is passed, including hundreds of fighter pilots, reservists from cybersecurity and intelligence units, and special forces veterans, according to Haaretz.

A day after Gallant made his concerns public, Netanyahu fired him as defense minister despite being one of the most experienced and popular ministers in the government. His shot prompted hundreds of thousands of Israelis to take to the streets in spontaneous demonstrations on Sunday night, the publication adds.

The situation led Netanyahu on Monday to decide to delay a final vote on the bill, though he did not scrap it entirely, under pressure from some of the most extremist members of his coalition, including far-right national security minister Itamar Ben. Gvir, push for reforms despite widespread opposition and fears of a crisis in the army.

On Monday evening, Netanyahu addressed the nation, saying he had ordered a “time out” on the controversial legislation. “One thing I am not ready to accept is that there is a minority of extremists who are ready to tear our country apart… plunge us into civil war and call for conscientious objection, which is a terrible crime,” Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu’s son Yair, who is his closest political adviser and avid internet troll with far-right views, has always been strongly opposed to backsliding and is widely credited with pushing his father out of commitment no matter the cost.

Another influential factor in the situation is the fear of the economic consequences of legislation that shackles the judiciary, and the governor of the Bank of Israel also warned that the passage of the law would harm the economy, which was supported by hundreds of economists from this domestic and foreign experts.

The largest trade union center announced a general strike starting on Monday, and banks and other businesses strangely joined in this action.

The situation is dangerous because far-right provocateurs, in turn, are calling for violence against the protests and for the “defense” of the results of the last elections that led to the formation of a government with Netanyahu.

Source: Juventud Rebelde