Israel’s largest trade union group, Histadrut, launched a strike on Monday across numerous sectors, including health, transit, and banking, in protest of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to overhaul the judiciary. The strike, which could paralyze significant parts of Israel’s already fragile economy, increases pressure on Netanyahu to suspend the overhaul. Thousands of travelers were affected as departing flights out of the country’s main international airport were grounded in protest.
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets throughout the country in a spontaneous show of anger at Netanyahu’s decision to fire his defense minister after he called for a pause to the overhaul. The judiciary overhaul plan has driven Israel into one of its worst domestic crises and ignited a sustained and intensifying protest movement spanning nearly all sectors of society. This growing resistance has further divided the country, magnifying long-standing and intractable differences over Israel’s character since its establishment.
Israel’s ceremonial President Isaac Herzog urged Netanyahu to halt the overhaul immediately, putting aside political considerations for the nation’s sake. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett described Israel as “in a landslide of losing control,” claiming that the country has not faced such a dangerous situation in 50 years.
The judiciary overhaul, championed by Netanyahu and his allies in Israel’s most right-wing government ever, has been criticized for potentially removing the system of checks and balances and concentrating power in the hands of the governing coalition. Opponents also argue that Netanyahu has a conflict of interest due to his ongoing corruption trial.
Source: nzherald.co.nz
