Opposition to Netanyahu’s legal plan grows after protests | WGN Radio 720
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s judicial reform plan has faced mounting opposition on Monday, with the country’s ceremonial president calling for an immediate halt to law reforms. It was expected to close for the day and the unions would call for a general strike.
Resistance to the plan has grown as tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets across the country in spontaneous outrage over Netanyahu’s decision to fire the defense minister after he called for a moratorium on the overhaul. They lit a bonfire on the highway in Tel Aviv and closed highways and many other roads across the country for hours.
An overhaul driven by Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption, and his allies in Israel’s most right-wing government has plunged Israel into one of its worst internal crises. It sparked a movement that has spread to nearly every sector of society, including the military, with reservists increasingly coming out publicly and professing that they do not intend to serve a country that is heading towards dictatorship.
The crisis has further divided Israel and magnified the longstanding and irrepressible differences that have divided the country since its founding. Protesters see the reforms as a direct challenge to Israel’s democratic ideals, saying they are fighting for the very soul of the nation. The government labeled them anarchists in order to overthrow the government.
The crisis also threatens Netanyahu himself, Israel’s longest-serving leader, and the lengths he may be willing to go to maintain his grip on power while fighting corruption charges. The dismissal of the defense minister at a time of heightened security threats in the West Bank and elsewhere seemed like the last straw to many, sparking a new surge in opposition. caused
On Monday, as the embers of a highway bonfire were being cleared, Israeli ceremonial President Isaac Herzog urged Netanyahu to halt the overhaul immediately, urging the government to set aside political considerations for the nation’s sake. asked.
“The whole nation is in deep unease. Our security, our economy, our society – everything is under threat,” he said. “Get up now!”
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, a former ally and rival of Netanyahu, said on Monday that Israel was “losing control”.
“We have never been in such a dangerous situation in 50 years,” he told Israeli Army Radio.
Universities across the country said they would be closed “until further notice.” A trade union-affiliated group was expected to announce joining the protesters and was reportedly set to announce a general strike. Israeli media represent Netanyahu in corruption trial The lawyer who served him threatened to quit if the overhaul wasn’t stopped, the report said.
Netanyahu reportedly spent the night in talks and was scheduled to speak late Monday. Israeli media said he would suspend legislation, but this could not be independently confirmed.
Netanyahu’s dismissal of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant appeared to suggest the prime minister and his allies will bring forward overhaul plans this week, with the committee to move forward the bill meeting as scheduled on Monday. Gallant, the first senior member of the ruling Likud party to speak out, said deep divisions could weaken the military. on monday,
Netanyahu’s government this week promised to proceed with a parliamentary vote, the centerpiece of an overhaul – a law that gives the ruling coalition the final say on all judicial appointments. It also seeks passage of a law giving Congress the power to limit
Netanyahu and his allies say the plan will restore balance between the judicial and executive branches and curb what they see as interventionist courts with liberal sympathies.
But critics say the law would remove Israel’s system of checks and balances and centralize power in the hands of the governing coalition. They also say Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption, has a conflict of interest.
https://wgnradio.com/news/israeli-president-urges-netanyahu-to-halt-legal-overhaul/ Opposition to Netanyahu’s legal plan grows after protests | WGN Radio 720