Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted on Thursday night that he would press ahead with a key part of a bitter judicial overhaul as divisions over the plan began to emerge within the hardline coalition.
The battle over the proposals, which would reduce the court’s powers, has sparked the biggest wave of demonstrations in Israel in more than a decade. Tens of thousands took part in the latest round of protests there, which has swelled to attract participants from the technology sector and reserves of key units in the Israeli military.
In a major speech announced amid reports that defense minister Yoav Gallant would be stripped of his rank and asked to stand down for a review, Netanyahu said he planned to give the government and its allies control over the appointment of judges – one of the most. controversial of the proposed changes – will be passed by parliament next week.
Supporters of the review, which includes limiting the power of the Supreme Court to attack the law, said it is necessary to rein in the excessive judicial activism that has pushed the leftwing partisan agenda. But critics see him as a potential threat to Israel’s checks and balances that would undermine protections for minorities, fuel corruption and damage the economy.
Netanyahu’s speech, during which he also confirmed that he understands the fear of his enemies and will enact laws to protect civil rights, ended a turbulent day when tensions in the coalition of right-wing, ultrareligious and ultranationalist groups – considered the most common. right in the history of Israel – spilled into public view.
After Israeli media reported that Gallant planned to make a public statement about the overhaul, members of the hardline coalition reacted with outrage. The far-right Jewish Power party led by ultranationalist national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir accused Gallant of “removing himself from the right-wing camp”.
“It turned out today[Gallant]stand by those who will stop the government’s activities and prevent the right wing from carrying out its policies,” the party said in a statement.
The criticism was echoed by other hawkish coalition members. Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi said releasing the fix would be “shameful” and lead to the “dissolution of the government”. Public diplomacy minister Galit Distel Atbaryan said any member of Netanyahu’s Likud party who opposed the plan should resign immediately.
“Better today. Better right this minute,” he wrote on Twitter. “No Likud representative has the right to enjoy the mandate he has [parliament] then kicked the voters.”
However, other coalition members took a less aggressive stance, with the two ultrareligious factions saying they would support whatever decision Netanyahu makes on how to proceed with the reforms.
Amid the criticism, Netanyahu summoned Gallant for a meeting, after the defense minister said he was delaying his statement at the prime minister’s request. He added that he had briefed Netanyahu on the impact of the judicial overhaul on the military.
In recent weeks, thousands of reservists from units in the military, including the elite air force, cyber and military intelligence units, have threatened to stop reporting for training if the overhaul becomes law.
Israel’s Channel 12 news reported on Thursday that the head of Israel’s internal security service had warned Netanyahu that the combination of the divisions sparked by the overhaul and the growing security threat was bringing Israel to a “dangerous place”.