Tens of thousands of Israelis flooded into the streets of cities across the country on Sunday night. An outpouring of rage after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abruptly fired his defence minister for opposing the Israeli leader’s judicial overhaul plan.
Protesters in Tel Aviv blocked a major highway and set huge bonfires. police clashed with demonstrators outside Netanyahu‘s private residence in Jerusalem.
The unrest exacerbated a months-long crisis over Netanyahu’s plan to overhaul the judiciary. Which has sparked mass protests, worried business leaders and former security chiefs. Also alarmed the US and other close allies.
Defence Minister Yoav Gallant fired by Netanyahu signalled that the prime minister and his supporters will press ahead with the overhaul plan this week.
Gallant was the first senior member of the ruling Likud party to come out against it. Evidently claiming that the deep divisions were undermining the military.
However, as protesters poured into the streets late into the night, Likud ministers started to indicate a willingness to slow down. Culture Minister Micky Zohar, a close confidante of Netanyahu’s, said the party would back him if he chose to halt the judicial overhaul.
Mass rally around the cities
According to Israeli media, Netanyahu’s coalition leaders will convene on Monday morning. Later that day, the grassroots protest movement announced another mass rally outside Jerusalem‘s Knesset, or parliament.
Netanyahu’s staff said in a brief statement late Sunday that the prime minister had fired Gallant. “We must all stand firm against refusal,” Netanyahu later tweeted.
Following Netanyahu’s announcement, tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets in protest, blocking Tel Aviv’s major artery, transforming the Ayalon highway into a sea of blue-and-white Israeli flags, and lighting a huge bonfire in the centre of the road.
Protests were held in Beersheba, Haifa, and Jerusalem. Thousands gathered in front of Netanyahu’s private home. Police clashed with protesters and sprayed water cannons into the gathering. Following that, thousands marched from the house to the Knesset.
