Netanyahu fires anti-reform minister and chaos erupts in Israel

by time news

Time.news – Thousands of Israelis, according to the media 700,000 took to the streets throughout the country in spontaneous demonstrationsto protest the Prime Minister’s decision, Benjamin Netanyahuto fire his Ministry of Defense, guilty of having asked for a suspension of the controversial judicial reform process, over which the country is splitting. After the announcement of the sacking, thousands of protesters poured into Kaplan Street in central Tel Aviv, the epicenter of protests that have been going on unabated since the government introduced the reform bill in January that threatens the autonomy of the judiciary.

The reform – launched while the premier himself is on trial for corruption, fraud and abuse of power – jeopardizes, according to its detractors, the democratic character of the State of Israel. Netanyahu and his far-right and ultra-Orthodox allies in the governing coalition believe it is necessary to restore a greater balance of power by considering the Supreme Court politicized.

Member of the same party as the premier, the Likud, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant he had publicly warned yesterday that the reform represents an “immediate and tangible danger” for state security and asked for a suspension of his parliamentary process. The prime minister then summoned Gallant, telling him that he no longer trusted him as defense minister. “The prime minister has decided to remove Gallant from office,” Netanyahu’s office said in a brief statement without specifying whether or not the official will be moved.

© Cecilia Scaldaferri – Time.news

“The security of the State of Israel has always been and always will be my life’s mission,” Gallant defended himself on Twitter, who had obtained the support of other Likud members, but whose head the far right had immediately asked for . The Minister of National Security, far-right politician Itamar Ben-Gvir, supported Netanyahu’s move: “The prime minister has decided on the necessary step and I congratulate him on that.” Opposition leader Yair Lapid described Gallant’s sacking as “a new low” for the government.

Israel sacked anti-reform and chaos minister

© Cecilia Scaldaferri – Time.news

Meanwhile, spontaneous protests erupted in Tel Aviv, Haifa, Beer Sheva and Jerusalem, where police used water cannons to disperse demonstrators who attempted to climb over the barriers surrounding the prime minister’s residence. The universities have called an indefinite strikesome mayors have gone on hunger strike, while the unions threaten to block the national economy.

Israel sacked anti-reform and chaos minister

© Cecilia Scaldaferri – Time.news

In this context – with people in the square comparing the events to the “Arab Spring” – the channel 12 reports that Netanyahu is reportedly considering announcing the suspension of the reform tomorrow morning. A hypothesis which, however, seems to clash with the Minister of Justice Yariv Levin who threatens to resign.

You may also like

Leave a Comment