Chaos Grips Israel After Netanyahu Fires Defense Minister

As anti-government demonstrations become more violent and the country seems to be falling apart, will Netanyahu call off judicial reform?

By Israel Today Staff | | Topics: Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Democracy
Anti-government protesters clash with police in Jerusalem.
Anti-government protesters clash with police in Jerusalem. Photo: Tomer Neuberg/FLASH90

Mass protests erupted across Israel on Sunday evening and into the morning hours of Monday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired his defense minister, Yoav Gallant. A day earlier, Gallant had publicly called for a halt to the controversial judicial reform.

The nationwide demonstrations escalated with protesters blocking a major thoroughfare in Tel Aviv, setting fires on highways and being hit by water cannons as they besieged the prime minister’s private residence in Jerusalem. All this capped the first day of a planned week-long series of escalated anti-government demonstrations.

In Jerusalem, the demonstrators broke through barricades and fought with police in front of Netanyahu’s family home on Gaza Street. The police used water cannons to disperse the protesters, who then marched to the Knesset and the Prime Minister’s Office, where they chanted and called for Netanyahu’s resignation.

The leader of the Ben Gurion Airport workers’ union announced an immediate freeze on flights, minutes after the leader of the Histadrut labor union announced a “historic” nationwide strike to stop “the madness” of the government’s judicial overhaul.

Netanyahu was due to address the nation at around noon. He was expected to put judicial reform on hold for the time being.

Members

Israel Today Membership

Read all member content. Access exclusive, in-depth reports from Israel! Free Zoom events. Connect with Israel right from your home! Raise a voice of truth and hope. Support Faith-based journalism in Jerusalem!

Monthly
Membership

$5
/ month
Full access to Israel Today's Member-only content on all Digital Platforms.
Become a Member

Yearly
Membership

$46
/ year
Full access to Israel Today's Member-only content on all Digital Platforms.
Save 18% Per Month.
Become a Member

Six Months
Membership

$28
every 6 months
Full access to Israel Today's Member-only content on all Digital Platforms.
Save 9% Per Month.
Become a Member

Leave a Reply

Israel Today Newsletter

Daily news

FREE to your inbox

Israel Heute Newsletter

Tägliche Nachrichten

KOSTENLOS in Ihrer Inbox

Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter