Political tensions around the reform of justice reached a milestone on Sunday evening in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant after he publicly pleaded for a pause in reform, expressing fears for Israel’s security. Thousands of people then took to the streets in Tel Aviv. The night from Sunday to Monday was marked by clashes between police and protesters. A call for a general strike has been launched. Update on this political crisis that is shaking the country.
What is the situation there?
Blocked highway, burning tires, rally in front of Netanyahu’s home … The demonstrators notably converged on Kaplan Street, in the center of Tel Aviv, the epicenter of protests since the presentation in January of the reform project which divides the country .
People set tires on fire. Others burned a sofa and wood and blocked a highway. Armed with blue and white flags in the colors of the country, demonstrators chanted slogans like “Bibi get out! “, taking the nickname of Benjamin Netanyahu.
Other spontaneous rallies took place in front of the Prime Minister’s residence in Jerusalem as well as in other cities of the country such as Haifa (north) and Beer Sheva (south).
The Consul General of Israel in the United States has decided to resign after the announcement of the dismissal of the Minister of Defense. Asaf Zamiz speaks of a “dangerous decision” which “convinced him that(il) could no longer continue to represent this government”.
What is the project that crystallizes the anger?
The government’s proposed reform bill, one of the most right-wing in Israel’s history, aims to increase the power of elected officials over that of judges. Contested in the street for nearly three months, he is at the origin of one of the largest popular mobilization movements in the country. Critics of the reform believe that it risks jeopardizing the democratic character of the state.
Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right and ultra-Orthodox allies believe it is necessary to restore a balanced balance of power between elected officials and the Supreme Court, which they consider politicized. The text notably provides for a change in the process of appointing judges. It aims to increase the power of elected officials over that of magistrates. Regarding the Supreme Court, the ruling coalition would now have full latitude to appoint the judges of this high court, and could invalidate the laws and its decisions by simple majority. For many experts, this would undermine its role as a counterweight.
“I am attached to the values of Likud (Editor’s note: the main ruling party) but major changes at the national level must be made through consultation and dialogue,” the defense minister said on Saturday as he called for an end to the protests.
What reactions?
Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Monday called on the government to “immediately” stop legislative work on the judicial reform project that is dividing the country. “We witnessed some very difficult scenes last night,” he said in a statement. “The whole nation is in deep concern. Our security, our economy and our society are all at risk,” he adds. He solemnly appeals “to the Prime Minister, to the members of the government and to those of the majority”. “All the people of Israel are watching you. All the Jewish people are watching you. The whole world is watching you. »
Its repeated calls to find a compromise solution on the reform have so far been without effect and have not prevented the country from slipping little by little into crisis. “In the name of the unity of the people of Israel (…) I call on you to immediately stop” the legislative process, asks the head of state, whose function is essentially ceremonial.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid said “Netanyahu can fire Gallant, but he can’t fire reality and he can’t fire the people of Israel who oppose the madness of the coalition.” “The Prime Minister of Israel is a threat to Israel’s security,” adds the centrist leader. Two Likud deputies expressed their support for Yoav Gallant, weakening the narrow majority in parliament in the event of a vote on the controversial text.
The number 1 of the great trade union center calls for an immediate “general strike”. “I call for a general strike (…) as soon as this press conference is over, the State of Israel stops,” said Arnon Bar David, who is the head of the largest union of Israeli workers. , Histadrut. The head of the Ben Gurion airport workers’ union immediately announced the immediate halt to take-offs from the airport.
The United States has declared itself “concerned” by the situation. They call for “compromise” between the parties. “We are deeply concerned about the events. They once again underscore the urgent need for compromise,” White House National Security Council spokeswoman, U.S. Presidency Adrienne Watson said in a statement.
“Democratic values have always been, and must remain, a hallmark of US-Israeli relations,” she said. “Democratic societies are strengthened by checks and balances. Fundamental changes for a democratic system should be carried out with the broadest possible base of popular support. “We continue to urge the Israeli leadership to find a compromise as soon as possible. We believe this is the best way forward for Israel and all of its citizens,” she adds.
US President Joe Biden has already expressed his “concerns” about these judicial reforms, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said on Wednesday. On Friday in London, where he received Benjamin Netanyahu, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak underlined “the importance of respecting the democratic values which underpin the relationship (Editor’s note: between the two countries)including in the judicial reform project in Israel”.