Chaos in Israel as worker unions strike over judicial reform & Ben Gvir threatens to quit coalition

Overnight protests in Israel over the proposed judicial reform and the sacking of defence ministerYoav Gallant have prompted various officials to call for a halt to the legislation. SomeHebrew-language media reports say that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to announce a halt to the reform later in the day. He was scheduled to address the Knesset at 10:30 am on Monday after holding talks with allies overnight. However, the latest reports suggest that the allies in his coalition are threatening to break up the government if he halts the judicial reform.

Local media reports say thatNational Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has threatened to quit the coalition if the reform is stopped.

Meanwhile, Histadrut union head Arnon Bar-David has called for a "historic" labour strike to force the government to halt the proposal. Paying heed to the call,Ben Gurion Airport announcedan immediate halt to departures. Hospitals and medical workers also joined in the strike.

Municipalities and local councils agreed to join the general strike, withbusinesses and other local authorities saying they are shutting down operations. Schools were already ending for a Passover break, and now kindergartens and daycare centres have also said they will be closing down.

On Sunday night, protesters swarmed the streets of Tel Aviv after Netanyahu fired his cabinet's defence minister following his opposition to the proposed judicial overhaul. People chanted "democratia" and blocked streets and bridges, including the Ayalon Highway, a major intracity freeway. In Jerusalem, near Netanyahu's house, police used water cannons on the demonstrators.

The protests have led to calls from within the coalition to halt the legislative effort. President of the country,Isaac Herzog, also said the judicial reform must stop "immediately".

The mass protests, which quickly turned violent, came a day after Defence minister Yoav Gallant had called for a halt to Netanyahu's controversial plans to overhaul the justice system. On Sunday, Netanyahu sacked Gallant, and the news led to people taking to the streets, waving blue and white Israeli flags.

"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided this evening to dismiss Defence Minister Yoav Gallant," Netanyahu's office said in a statement.

The planned judicial reforms will hand more power to the government in deciding the appointment of judges. The reform will also make it harder for courts to remove a leader deemed unfit for office, a move that seemed to be in the interest of Netanyahu who is currently on trial on charges of corruption.

On Saturday, Gallant, a former navy admiral, warned that the overhaul plans risked "a clear, immediate and tangible threat to the security of the state".

"At this time, for the sake of our country, I am willing to take any risk and pay any price," Gallant said in his televised address.

In doing so, he became the first member of the cabinet to raise his voice against the controversial plans to overhaul the country’s court system. After being fired, Gallant tweeted, "The state of Israel’s security has always been and will always be my life's mission."

The opposition also slammed Netanyahu for dismissing a minister over the judicial reform.

"State security cannot be a card in the political game. Netanyahu crossed a red line tonight," opposition leaders Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz said in a joint statement.

After protesting outside Netanyahu's house, and managing to breach a security cordon, the crowds moved to the parliament, the Knesset.

(With inputs from agencies)

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