Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has now confirmed the postponement of the government proposal, which his party had previously strictly 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 that means in concrete terms was initially unclear.
The far-right Jewish Strength party said in a statement that discussions on the project should take place in the next parliamentary session. The reform should thus be adopted “through dialogue”. The Israeli parliament will take a break next week. The judicial reform pushed by Netanyahu has led to a domestic political crisis and large-scale protests.
Tens of thousands protest in front of the Knesset
Several far-right ministers previously strictly 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 in front of the Knesset in the early afternoon to further increase the pressure on Netanyahu. There was also a general strike on Monday that was unprecedented in Israel, according to observers.
A speech by Netanyahu, which was already expected at 9:00 a.m., is now being eagerly awaited. After hours of crisis talks at his official residence, the Israeli prime minister only arrived in the Knesset in the afternoon.
Demo and counter-demo
Several ministers reportedly threatened to resign on Monday if Netanyahu freezes judicial reform or deviates from the planned course. “Come to Jerusalem. (…) We are the majority, let’s raise our voice. We will not let our voice and the state be stolen,” said far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich in a video circulated on Twitter. As a result, other ministers also called for protests about the looming postponement of the judicial restructuring plans.
Organizers of the pro-coalition rally also provided shuttle buses to bring people to Jerusalem from across the country and from numerous settlements, Haaretz (online edition) among others reported.
Behind the latest escalation is the dismissal of Defense Minister Yoav Galant, which Netanyahu announced on Sunday evening. He called on the right-wing religious government to engage in dialogue with critics and warned that national security could be seriously damaged.
“This hour is unlike any other before it”
In this context, the chief of staff of the Israeli army, Herzi Halevi, drew attention to himself. In view of the social divisions over the government’s plans to reorganize the judiciary, he called on the soldiers to continue to do their duty and to act responsibly.
“This hour is unlike any other we have experienced before. We have never seen outside threats piling up while a storm is brewing at home,” Halevi said in a statement released Wednesday night by the Israeli military.
General strike increases pressure on Netanyahu
In addition to nationwide protests, opponents of the restructuring of the judiciary also increased the pressure on Netanyahu on Monday with a strike that is probably unprecedented in Israel. The general strike called by union boss Arnon Bar-David together with leading business representatives covers large parts of the country.
Tel Aviv Airport suspended all takeoffs immediately after the announcement. The entire healthcare sector is also affected, with banks and numerous private companies also announcing the closure of their shops after the strike was called. 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 in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Also unique: the staff representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on all diplomats worldwide to join the strike. “Until further notice, no consular services will be provided,” the Israeli embassy in Vienna announced on Twitter on Monday.
Before the strike was called, the Israeli Consul General in New York, Asaf Samir, had resigned in protest at Galant’s dismissal. That was “a dangerous decision,” said Samir on Twitter. The process has made him realize that he “can no longer represent this government”.
Urgent appeal from Herzog
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, numerous fires were lit on the street, and the police used violence against the demonstrators. It was probably the most violent protests so far.
There were also protests in other Israeli cities during the night. Demonstrators also gathered in front of Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem. They broke through a roadblock next to the prime minister’s home. 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 responsibility, I call on you to stop the legislative process immediately,” President Herzog wrote on Twitter on Monday night.