Protesters take to streets in Israel after Netanyahu fires Defence Minister

Thousands of protesters took to the streets on Sunday night after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired Defense Minister Yoav Galant for challenging his plan to overhaul the judiciary.

In Tel Aviv, protesters blocked a main highway and lit large bonfires, while police clashed with protesters gathered outside Netanyahu’s private residence in Jerusalem.

The demonstrations deepened a month-long crisis over Netanyahu’s plans to overhaul the judiciary.
Gallant’s sacking indicates the prime minister and his aides will move forward with their plan this week. Gallant is the first senior member of the ruling Likud party to openly oppose the plan.

Netanyahu’s government plans to hold a parliament vote this week on a bill that would give the ruling coalition the final say on judicial appointments. It also has provisions for passing laws that would empower Parliament with a simple majority to overturn Supreme Court decisions and limit judicial review of laws.

Netanyahu and his allies argue that the plan would restore balance between the judicial and executive branches. But critics say the law will upset Israel’s democratic system and hand over power to the ruling coalition. They also say that this law is also a conflict of interest for Netanyahu, who is facing a corruption trial.

Thousands of people have been protesting on the streets for the last three months against this plan, which is the biggest protest in the country’s 75-year history.

Netanyahu’s office said in a brief statement late Sunday that the prime minister had fired Gallant. Netanyahu later tweeted, “We must all unite against the protests.”

“The security of Israel has always been and always will be the top priority of my life,” Gallant tweeted shortly after announcing his dismissal.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid said Gallant’s dismissal “harms national security and ignores the warnings of all defense officials”.