Chairman of Yesh Atid and the supposed leader of the opposition Yair Lapid said this morning in an interview with Yedioth Ahronothโs radio channel that, unlike the chairman of the Blue and White Party, Benny Gantz, "he did not feel like" calling Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after he announced last night the delay of the legislation for the judicial reform.
Read more: Gantz Eager To Enter Negotiations, Lapid Skeptical That Netanyahu Is Sincere
Meanwhile, Netanyahuโs firing of Galant has caused a crisis in Israel with the largest union voting to strike this morning and hospitals, malls, and even technology companies that have nothing to do with unions joining in. Most large industries and organizations in Israel have gone on strike, including the Ben Gurion Airport Authority, which is not allowing commercial planes to take off. Kindergartens, retail stores, and even municipalities have also expressed their desire to strike with the head of Israel's Municipal Federation, Chaim Bibas who serves as the Mayor of Modiin, announcing that services will cease if the defense minister is not reinstated and legislation halted.
All flights were cancelled today at Israel's Ben-Gurion Airport after the workers union announced a labor strike in protest of Benjamin Netanyahu's governmentโs controversial judicial overhaul. pic.twitter.com/RCsH13q2mj
โ flail gracefully aka Rafeeq (@flailgraceful1y) March 27, 2023
In his speech, Netanyahu is expected to announce a halt to the legislation after meeting with the heads of the coalition, who all agreed to the move, including Justice Minister Yariv Levin, except for National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who is considering his steps after threatening that "if the legislation is stopped, Otzma Yehudit [his party] will withdraw from the coalition." If Ben Gvir's party does follow through on the threat, it will end the coalition and likely thrust Israel into yet another election cycle.
Several officials within Likud also said this morning that if Netanyahu does cave to the protesters and stops the legislation, he will face a rebellion within the party and may also pay the price of the government's disintegration. On the other hand, according to them, the efforts to trample him on the part of the protest leaders will increase because they will recognize the momentum of his weakness. Sources in the coalition estimate that Ben Gvir will be ready to withdraw from the coalition with Netanyahuโs speech.
ืขื ืจืืฉ ืืืืฉืื ืืืฉื ืืกืืื ืืืืฉ ืืืืืืข ืืืืืืจืืช ืืืืืืช ืืื ืืฆืืืื ืฉืชืืื ืืืกืืื ืจืืื. ืฉืืืจื ืขื ืืืืืช ืขื ืืฉืจืื ืืืืืื ืืืื ืช ืืฉืจืื ืื ืืืืจ ืืืฉืื ืืืืชืจ.
โ ืืืื ืืืืก - Haim Bibas (@BibasHaim) March 27, 2023
The Religious Zionist Party, led by Bezalel Smotrich stated in response to the assessment that Netanyahu would stop the legislation, that "after much deliberation and consultation, our position is that the legislation must not be stopped in any way. Stopping the legislation would be a surrender to violence, anarchy, reluctance, and the tyranny of the minority and would spoil the election results. We were and remain adherents of dialogue, compromises, and agreements, but not under threats of a coup by the centers of power on Israeli democracy. We were duly elected and received a clear mandate from the people to restore balance to Israeli democracy. We owe it to the majority of the people to make their voice heard and to continue this important historical correction."
๐ฅMcDonald's Israel joins the general strike pic.twitter.com/cye6Zm9UDn
โ Noga Tarnopolsky ื ืื ืืจื ืืคืืืกืงื ููุบุง ุชุฑููุจููุณูู (@NTarnopolsky) March 27, 2023
Likud officials also estimate that Yariv Levin will not continue to serve as Minister of Justice, but will be offered the security portfolio if Galant is indeed officially fired. The party also estimates that the justice portfolio will be offered to Avi Dichter or Nir Barkat.
'We are stopping everything in the country in coordination and cooperation with the businesses... We are all working together as one community,' says @LTCPeterLerner Director General of @HistadrutGlobal
โ i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) March 27, 2023
โก๏ธ Israel's Labor union announces general strike until reform stopped pic.twitter.com/V3xjQrelqR
President Yitzhak Herzog commented on the chain of events Monday morning and said: "We saw very difficult scenes last night. I am addressing the Prime Minister, the members of the government, and the coalition members: the feelings are difficult and painful. Deep concern surrounds the entire nation. Security, the economy, and society - all are threatened. The eyes of the entire nation in Israel are on you. The eyes of the entire Jewish people are on you. The eyes of the whole world are on you. For the sake of unity with the people of Israel, and the sake of responsibility, I call on you to stop the legislative process immediately. I appeal to the heads of all Knesset factions, coalition and opposition alike, to put the citizens of the country above everything, and act responsibly and courageously without further delay. Come to your senses now! This is not a political moment, this is a moment for leadership and responsibility."
Politicians, some of whom are members of the Likud party reacted Saturday evening to Defense Minister Yoav Galant who called for a halt to the legislation of the reform of the judicial system in favor of dialogue, and in order to prevent the rift in Israeli society from deepening.
Read more: Knesset Members React To Defense Minister's Call To Halt Judicial Reform
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke Thursday and addressed the reform of the judicial system, against the background of Defense Minister Galant's intention to publicly call for a halt to the legislation. Surprising almost everyone, Netanyahu doubled down on the reform, while offering an opportunity for dialogue to the opposition, but insisting the legislation will pass.
Netanyahu began his speech saying that "a few months ago, as soon as the election results were announced, I said, 'I intend to be the prime minister of all the citizens of Israel.' We cannot allow any dispute, no matter how acute, to endanger the common future of all of us."
Read more: Netanyahu Doubles Down On Reform In Controversial Speech
A bipartisan supermajority of over 90 Knesset members signed a letter with a joint call to honor the State Memorial day for members of the Israel Defense Forces that will take place soon, and to leave all political differences and controversies aside for the solemn day. The letter was written at the initiative of Knesset Member (MK) Chili Tropper who sits in the opposition, and members of Knesset were invited to sign and participate in the important call to the Israeli public, to avoid bringing the fierce controversy that is tearing the nation apart into the cemeteries on the days of remembrance.
Read more: In A Deeply Divided Knesset, Lawmakers Find One Thing They Can All Agree On
