Israel protests

Israel's President Isaac Herzog has called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the ruling coalition to halt its divisive judicial changes plan, ...

“What the government wants to do is not to correct or to fix or amend the judicial system, so that it will be more just. They want to take control over the judicial system,” said Ofer Cassif, an Israeli politician and Knesset member for the leftist Hadash party. “State security cannot be a card in the political game. They also say that Netanyahu, on trial for corruption charges, has a conflict of interest. Culture Minister Micky Zohar, a Netanyahu confidant, said the party would support him if he decided to pause the judicial overhaul. Israeli media said leaders in Netanyahu’s coalition were to meet on Monday morning.

Mass protests have erupted in Israel in recent months over controversial judicial reforms pushed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.

This is not a political moment, this is a moment for leadership and responsibility." It is proof that this government has lost its brakes," he said, calling on Netanyahu to walk back his firing of his defense minister. "We must all strive to stabilise the government and coalition." The planned overhaul would significantly weaken the country's judiciary and make it harder to remove Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, from power. McDonald's Israel says it has closed branches as part of the strike action. "Stop this judicial process before it is too late," Arnon Bar-David, Israel's Histadrut union leader, said in a televised speech, addressing Netanyahu directly.

Mass protests broke out in Israel on Sunday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired defense minister Yoav Gallant over his opposition to a ...

Israel’s Supreme Court has no influence on what happens in Gaza, which is ruled by the Palestinian militant group Hamas. At the same time, Palestinian activists have argued that the high court has further entrenched Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, having never considered the legality of Israeli settlements there, even though they’re considered illegal by most of the international community. Last year, for example, the court halted the evictions of Palestinian families in the flashpoint neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem, where Jewish groups have claimed ownership of land the families have lived on for decades.

Protesters clash with the police during a rally against the Israeli government's judicial reform in Tel Aviv, Israel on March 27. Ahmad Gharabli/AFP/Getty ...

“The eyes of all the people of Israel are on you. Justice Minister Yariv Levin, who has strongly advocated for the reform to be pushed through, opened the door to the possibility of a delay on Monday. The eyes of all the Jewish people are on you. Opponents say the plans threaten the foundations of Israeli democracy. The eyes of the whole world are on you. Some military reservists have pledged to pull out of their service in opposition to the plans, which critics say would undermine the independence of the judiciary. We have been taken hostage by a bunch of extremists with no brakes and no boundaries,” he said. All takeoffs from Israel’s main airport, Ben Gurion Tel Aviv, were halted for several hours because of the strike. Gallant argued for a halt to the judicial reforms in a speech Saturday night, when Netanyahu was out of the country on an official visit to the United Kingdom. For the sake of the unity of Israelis, for the sake of committed responsibility I call on you to halt the legislative procedure immediately.” We are brotherly people,” he said on Twitter. In a statement issued later, Lapid called the past 24 hours “madness,” “loss of control” and “loss of direction.”

Palestinians see an "explosive potential" with Israel's new hardline government in power — while Jews from Israel and the U.S. grapple with "a dramatic ...

"The escalation in violence makes it more urgent for the Netanyahu government to make compromises in some of the proposed legislation to maintain the support of allied democracies and the diaspora Jewish communities," Foxman said. Our duty is to remember that many Western democracies are facing major challenges in the last few years, and today," Khariv said. ... I want this government to know that if it tampers with democracy, if it tampers with the basic relationship between Israel and the Jewish people, it will have consequences. "Palestinians are coping with a system that is built on the premise of Jewish domination, hegemony and superiority," Marjeih said. They have to work together to find a path forward that both defuses the current cycle of violence and, I hope, also leads to positive steps to build back some confidence." After the rampage in Hawara, Smotrich called for the Israeli government to "wipe out" the Palestinian village. [visit the highly sensitive site in Jerusalem](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-warns-israel-unacceptable-actions-itamar-ben-gvir-visit-al-aqsa-temple-mount/) that Jews call the Temple Mount and Muslims call Haram al-Sharif, the al-Aqsa Mosque compound. State Department](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-warns-israel-unacceptable-actions-itamar-ben-gvir-visit-al-aqsa-temple-mount/) against "any unilateral actions that undercut the historic status quo." "We will continue to serve the Jewish and democratic State of Israel at all times and across borders... Seven Israelis were killed, meanwhile, in an attack outside a synagogue in east Jerusalem that was the deadliest attack of its kind in years. Despite meetings between Israeli and Palestinian officials in Jordan to try to maintain the increasingly fragile peace, violence and anger may be on the brink of boiling over. [went on strike Monday](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/israel-news-protest-general-strike-netanyahu-judicial-reform/) after a weekend of massive protests over plans by Israel's far-right government to overhaul the country's judiciary branch.

Protesters in Tel Aviv on Sunday. 01:34. Protests in Israel after Netanyahu sacks defence minister ...

Netanyahu quickly fired Galant over his opposition to the proposals, sparking one of the most dramatic nights in Israeli history as people took to the streets all over the country. Internationally, many of Israel’s allies have expressed alarm over the direction in which the country is heading. Netanyahu could instead try to form a coalition with opposition parties, but most are wary of trusting him. In recent weeks, the protests have become more violent, and dozens of arrests have been made. Netanyahu’s trial triggered four years of political crisis in which Israel was split over whether he was fit to lead the country. In particular, many on the Israeli right have never forgiven the court for decisions related to Israel’s unilateral withdraw from the Gaza Strip in 2005.

The overhaul has in the past 3 months led to an unprecedented political and social crisis in Israel, and destabalized its economy.

He also said he would work to stabilize the coalition in order to prevent the government from collapsing. - Senior members inside the Likud are pressing Netanyahu to cancel his decision to fire Gallant. [Itamar Ben-Gvir](https://www.axios.com/2023/01/03/ben-gvir-jerusalem-temple-mount-aqsa-compound-visit), who had threatened to resign if the plan was suspended. The other side: Opposition leader Yair Lapid said he is ready to start a dialogue under the auspices of President Isaac Herzog. - “Dialogue is the right path. “We will bring a reform that will restore the balance between the different branches of government while strengthening civil liberties," Netanyahu said.

Israelis poured into the streets in a spontaneous outburst of anger after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abruptly fired his defense minister.

Netanyahu's dismissal of Gallant appeared to signal that the prime minister and his allies would barrel ahead. Netanyahu returned to power late last year after a protracted political crisis that sent Israelis to the polls five times in less than four years. The architect of the plan, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a popular party member, had long promised he would resign if the overhaul was suspended. A parliamentary committee approved the legislation on Monday for a final vote, which could come this week. The developments were being watched by the Biden administration, which is closely allied with Israel yet has been uneasy with Netanyahu and the far-right elements of his government. The counterprotest was also slated to take place outside parliament. "This is the last chance to stop this move into a dictatorship," said Matityahu Sperber, 68, who joined a stream of people headed to the protest outside the Knesset. The plan - driven by Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption, and his allies in Israel's most right-wing government ever - has plunged Israel into one of its worst domestic crises. The government has labeled them anarchists out to topple democratically elected leaders. It was unclear how Netanyahu would respond to the growing pressure. The turmoil has magnified longstanding and intractable differences over Israel's character that have riven it since the country was founded. Chanting "the country is on fire," they lit bonfires on Tel Aviv's main highway, closing the thoroughfare and many others throughout the country for hours.

The dramatic decision by the Israeli prime minister to sack Yoav Gallant sparks massive demonstrations in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Israel has been gripped by ...

We believe that is the best path forward for Israel and all of its citizens. The eyes of the entire Jewish people are on you. The eyes of the whole world are on you. The eyes of all the people of Israel are on you. "Come to your senses now! In a statement after his sacking, Mr Gallant said: "The security of the state of Israel has always been and will always remain the mission of my life." Israel has been gripped by protests for 13 weeks due to judicial reforms that the government is determined to see through despite growing opposition. Critics say Mr Netanyahu has a conflict of interest because of his corruption trial. Deep concern surrounds the entire nation. "For the sake of the unity of the people of Israel, for the sake of the responsibility, I call on you to stop the legislative process immediately. Opposition leader Yair Lapid tweeted that Mr Netanyahu had become "a threat to the security of the state of Israel". Meanwhile, Mr Herzog said: "I am addressing the prime minister, the members of the government and the companies and members of the coalition: the feelings are difficult and painful.

Protesters streamed on to Israel's streets overnight, as thousands voiced their opposition to a controversial justice reform bill.

when the house is on fire, you don’t ask who is right,” according to a translation. Protests have simmered in Israel for months, since the planned changes were rolled out in December. He called for an "historic" strike to begin on Monday. Arrivals will continue to land at the airport, although as many as 35,000 people were expected to have their travel disrupted. On Saturday, he called for a pause in the controversial legislation until after next month's Independence Day holiday, citing the threat to Israel's national security. Military and business leaders have also spoken out against the plan.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced increasing pressure on Monday to put the brakes on his government's drive to enact sweeping changes to the Israeli ...

That also prompted other senior members of his party to call for a pause, while the main labour union went on strike. The government had been aiming for final ratification of the changes to selection of judges by April 2, when lawmakers go on spring recess. Netanyahu, who is formally barred from involvement in the initiative as he is on trial on corruption charges that he denies, has said such changes aim to balance and diversify the Supreme Court bench. Israel's democratic "checks and balances" are relatively fragile. He has denied having any such intentions. The present proposal would change that, giving coalition governments decisive sway.

The prime minister is pausing his plan to overhaul the judiciary following mass protests.

[plan to overhaul the judiciary](https://www.vox.com/world-politics/23629744/why-israelis-protesting-netanyahu-far-right-government-judiciary-overhaul). Following his reelection last year, Netanyahu announced his overhaul plan, which was seen as a transparent attempt to shape the judiciary to his advantage in his corruption trial. But it seems that he has agreed to resume the conversation after Parliament’s recess for Passover next week. As a condition for agreeing to the delay, National Security Minister Itmar Ben Gvir required that he be allowed to preside over a [new national guard ](https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2023/03/27/israel-netanyahu-to-delay-judiciary-overhaul-after-mass-protests-coalition-partner-says.html)to combat crime. [German Chancellor Olaf Scholz](https://apnews.com/article/netanyahu-israel-germany-98066907f41e87834a21e8f256636aaa) said earlier this month that the “independence of the judiciary is a precious democratic asset.” The trial has been delayed multiple times, and there have been concerns that judges on the case are In 2019, Netanyahu became the first prime minister in the country’s history to be charged with corruption for acts committed while he was on the job following a years-long investigation. Netanyahu has not given any sign that he’s abandoning the reforms altogether. And he allegedly accepted favors from a telecom mogul in exchange for protecting his business interests. His critics maintain the changes are an effort to keep power and to bring the independent judiciary under the control of Netanyahu’s right-wing government. The White House has called for compromise and emphasized that shared Netanyahu has denied all of the allegations, instead framing the case as evidence of a broad conspiracy against him by the left, and ignored calls for him to resign.

Benjamin Neyanyahu says he will delay reforms for several weeks after tens of thousands protested against the plans.

“One is completely stopping, not just slightly delaying, the legislation process. He said he was determined to pass a judicial reform but called for “an attempt to achieve broad consensus”. Kindergartens and malls were also closed, as well as branches of the fast food chain McDonald’s. “For the sake of the unity of the people of Israel, for the sake of responsibility, I call on you to stop the legislative process immediately,” Herzog said on Monday morning. “The opposition and the protest movement have said, time and time again, two things that need to serve as a foundation for negotiations,” he said. The delay means that the bill will not be put to a vote in parliament until the end of April at the earliest.

His proposed changes provoked an outpouring of anger from nearly all parts of Israeli society.

He had previously called for an immediate halt to the plans. In the heart of Jerusalem, around the Knesset, supporters and critics held counter-protests. The prime minister denies any wrongdoing and claims he is the victim of a "witch hunt". He accused an "extremist minority" of trying to divide the nation, and criticised military reservists who had opposed the bill by saying they wouldn't report for duty. His own part in the country's upheaval was not acknowledged. From the main airport to shops and banks - even in hospitals - services were stopped.

For months, hundreds of thousands of Israelis have been taking to the streets across the country to protest far-reaching changes to Israel's legal system.

Opponents say the plan threatens the foundations of Israeli democracy. The nation's largest labor union called an end to the strike after Netanyahu's announcement. [Tensions rose further this past weekend](https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/26/middleeast/israel-judicial-overhaul-legislation-intl/index.html) when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abruptly fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over his opposition to the planned overhaul, prompting mass street protests and widespread strike action.

For nearly three months, hundreds of thousands of people have taken to Israel's streets weekly to demonstrate against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ...

The protests have drawn from a broad swath of Israeli society: young and old, religious and secular, residents of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and beyond. If passed, the series of laws would limit the Supreme Court’s powers and give politicians greater control over judicial appointments. Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets in Israel over the past three months to protest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to overhaul the country’s judiciary.

Tens of thousands of people take to the streets, declaring outrage at the dismissal of Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.

He said security, economy and society were all under threat. However, after protests persisted overnight and into the early morning, President Herzog called on Netanyahu to halt the reforms for the sake of the “unity of the people of Israel”. Undeterred, tens of thousands of people took to the streets declaring outrage at the dismissal of Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.

The head of Israel's largest trade union said it would call off a general strike that threatened to grind the economy to a halt.

“I’m here for the fight to the end.” “Where are we leading our beloved Israel? He denies wrongdoing. The firing of Mr Netanyahu’s defence minister at a time of heightened security threats in the West Bank and elsewhere, appeared to be a last straw for many, including apparently the Histadrut, the country’s largest trade union umbrella group, which sat out the months-long protests before the defence minister’s firing. Mr Netanyahu gave no timeline for a compromise to be reached in his speech, but expressed hope that the nation would heal and that people would enjoy the forthcoming Passover holiday. The growing resistance to Mr Netanyahu’s plan came hours after tens of thousands of people burst into the streets around the country in a spontaneous show of anger at the prime minister’s decision to fire his defence minister after he called for a pause to the overhaul.

Sacked defence chief had warned the deep divisions in Israel were threatening to weaken the military.

Culture Minister Micky Zohar, a Netanyahu confidant, said the party would support him if he decided to pause the legislation. The head of Israel’s largest trade union group said it would launch a general strike. Netanyahu’s dismissal of Defence Minister Yoav Gallant signalled that the prime minister was not willing to listen to his own party members.

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Facing protests that had shut down much of his country, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he's delaying a vote in parliament that could give ...

And the court - the Supreme Court is really the protector of individual rights and minority rights. So the main change that his government was pushing was to try to give the ruling coalition the power to actually select some Supreme Court justices. And it's part of this larger effort that Netanyahu wants to rebalance - in his words, to rebalance Israel's checks and balances, to give more power to elected officials and to take away some of the independence of unelected judges. And, you know, the big picture is that he and his right-wing government think that the Supreme Court is too liberal and too powerful. They were setting bonfires in the highway, and they were only cleared in the morning. And then at night, Netanyahu got on live TV and said he was postponing this controversial legislation for just a month to give a chance for dialogue with the opposition.

Facing protests that had shut down much of his country, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he's delaying a vote in parliament that could give ...

And the court - the Supreme Court is really the protector of individual rights and minority rights. So the main change that his government was pushing was to try to give the ruling coalition the power to actually select some Supreme Court justices. And it's part of this larger effort that Netanyahu wants to rebalance - in his words, to rebalance Israel's checks and balances, to give more power to elected officials and to take away some of the independence of unelected judges. And, you know, the big picture is that he and his right-wing government think that the Supreme Court is too liberal and too powerful. They were setting bonfires in the highway, and they were only cleared in the morning. And then at night, Netanyahu got on live TV and said he was postponing this controversial legislation for just a month to give a chance for dialogue with the opposition.

Israel PM relented as civil unrest at new heights, with work stoppages hitting hospitals, airports and schools.

“This is another attempt to weaken the protest.” The Israeli opposition parties appeared to be split over Netanyahu’s offer of dialogue. Even as he relented on the timing, Mr Ben-Gvir made it clear that he was not giving it up.

PM Benjamin Netanyahu's statement Monday hasn't appeased those opposing his perceived desire to control the judiciary.

“I think the protests will continue, maybe not at the same amount, but more on a weekly basis.” “In Israeli society, serving in the army is your application to belonging and more. It’s like the protest became more comfortable with the fact of the flag’s presence.” “At first, in the anti-Occupation bloc, there were a lot of attacks on people who held Palestinian flags. Many are viewing his motivation as fundamentally “to escape his legal conundrum and three indictments.” “It is forbidden that there will be a civil war”.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu put a controversial judicial overhaul on ice yesterday, after months of turmoil and mass protests.

In an address to the nation, Mr Netanyahu announces he is pausing the reform measures "out of a sense of national responsibility" and to allow time for dialogue. He cites "a clear, immediate and tangible threat to Israel's security" as the unrest spreads to security agencies. He tells the Israeli leader that the judicial reforms must respect the democratic values that Mr Biden calls a "hallmark" of the US-Israeli relationship. President Isaac Herzog, who has a largely ceremonial role, warns Israel is "on the verge of legal and social collapse" and urges Mr Netanyahu not to introduce the reforms. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expresses "great concern" over the reforms during a visit by Mr Netanyahu to Berlin, calling on the Israeli government to compromise. Mr Levin claims the court's power to strike down legislation is a "danger" to democracy.

Demonstrations forced Israel's prime minister to delay a judicial overhaul.

[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). You can reach the team at “If I didn’t have this, I wouldn’t be doing art today,” said Ian Fay, a comic book artist in Kilkenny. On Friday, South Carolina will play Iowa, led by Caitlin Clark, and Louisiana State will face Virginia Tech, which has reached the semifinals for the first time. Officials said the attacker, 28, was a former student there. But it could also lead to more political chaos: Netanyahu’s coalition holds a slim majority in Parliament, and it could collapse if his right-wing allies believe he is going back on his word. Soldiers and reservists argue that if the courts are too weak to provide a check on the military, officials may be more likely to give illegal orders and potentially expose soldiers to prosecution in international courts. That opposition has gained momentum because it unites influential parts of Israeli society: universities, unions and the reservists who play a key role in the military. They believe the courts have become increasingly aggressive and have undermined voters’ choices over the past three decades. But with the overhaul, Israel’s Parliament could override the court’s decisions with a simple majority, giving the government sweeping power to enact its preferred policies. But it remains unclear what will happen in the coming weeks — and whether Netanyahu will continue pushing a proposal that has started to fracture even his own cabinet. Much of life in Israel came to a halt yesterday: Hospitals stopped providing nonemergency care, planes were grounded at the country’s main airport, and malls and banks closed.