Israeli government freezes judicial reform until May
The Otzma Yehudit party announced that its leader, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, agreed to give the government an extension on advancing judicial reform, effectively pausing the effort until the next Knesset session in May, according to The Times of Israel.
According to the report, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will proceed with the reform through negotiations with the opposition, following nationwide protests and strikes.
However, the deal was only reached after Netanyahu agreed to the formation of a civil “national guard,” which was planned by Ben Gvir himself and would be under his direct command.
Following the announcement that Netanyahu was expecting to halt the judicial reform, Ben Gvir threatened to quit the government, threatening Netanyahu’s majority in the process. Ben Gvir had wanted Netanyahu to move ahead with the reforms immediately.
Netanyahu and his government have faced widespread protests across the country due to the planned reforms, which critics labeled as a “threat to Israeli democracy.”
Meanwhile, Israel’s largest labor union, Histadrut, and the federation of local authorities announced on 27 March the start of a general strike in protest of the government’s planned judicial overhaul.
As part of the strike, workers at Ben Gurion Airport shut down the departures area and grounded all flights.
The announcement was made just hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sacked defense minister Yoav Gallant over his opposition to the government’s plans.
Gallant’s removal sparked massive protests against Netanyahu’s government, with hundreds of thousands flooding the streets of Tel Aviv.
On Saturday night, Gallant went on TV to argue for a halt to the judicial reforms at a time when Netanyahu was out of the country on an official visit to the UK.
“The growing rift in our society is penetrating the [army] and security agencies. This poses a clear, immediate, and tangible threat to the security of the state. I will not lend my hand to this,” Gallant said.
Hundreds of military reservists have started to mutiny in recent weeks, putting Israel’s military operations at risk, according to security officials.
Calls for Netanyahu’s removal from office have also grown, with Yisrael Beytenu head Avigdor Liberman calling on Likud lawmakers to “oust Netanyahu and form a new coalition consisting of the Zionist parties, with the prime minister coming from the ranks of Likud.”
