In a 10-minute speech that began around 8:40 p.m. local time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said judicial reform will continue and that there will be a vote before the Knesset next week.
Speaking in Hebrew, Netanyahu called for unity. “I say this evening that I believe that it is possible to bring reform that provides an answer to both sides—reform that will return the appropriate balance between the authorities,” he said. “Because we have not come to run over and to trample. We come to balance and to fix.”
“Those who oppose the reform are not traitors, and those who support it are not fascists,” he added.
On Sunday, according to Israeli media, Netanyahu told his cabinet that defence minister Galant threatened to resign if the proposed reforms were not softened.
The former IDF commander previously warned that threats by reservists that they would not show up for duty would seriously compromise the Jewish state’s ability to defend itself.
On Monday, Galant said: “Calls for insubordination are dangerous and the phenomenon of widespread insubordination may harm the IDF’s ability to carry out its missions.”
Strictly Orthodox party Shas - the second largest in Israel’s governing coalition - has announced that they will support Likud’s proposals, whatever they may be, potentially providing Netanyahu with an escape route from a constitutional crisis.
Previously solid support from Charedim for the government’s judicial reforms has begun to waver in recent days as they increasingly become targeted by protesters Israeli media reports have suggested.
If the controversial plans are delayed or abandoned, it will mark a major failure for Israel’s right-wing coalition just months into their government.
“11 weeks of determined pro-democracy protests seem about to break Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul plan,” Israel-based JC columnist Anshel Pfeffer tweeted.
“It may be premature to celebrate but this has been a pivotal period in Israeli history and neither side will be able to go back to business as usual on the day after.”
Today, Israel again suffered major disruptions across the country today as thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in opposition to the government’s judicial reform push.
With more than 150 demonstrations scheduled, a “Day of Paralysis” began in the morning with a protest at the Airport City business park adjacent to the eastern entrance to Ben-Gurion Airport.
The protesters blocked roads ahead of a conference featuring the participation of Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter and Economy Minister Nir Barkat, and broke into the conference complex, shouting, “Shame.”
Demonstrators were also planning to again block Netanyahu from departing for his UK diplomatic trip. Netanyahu is believed to have delayed his journey to the UK, and is alle
The plan follows unsuccessful attempts to prevent the prime minister from flying to Rome and Berlin over the past two weeks.
In Jerusalem, around 200 reservists demonstrated outside of the home of Shas Party leader Aryeh Deri.
Dozens of Charedi Jews held a counter-demonstration, dancing and singing. Another demonstration took place outside of the home of Education Minister Yoav Kisch, with an air force reservist being arrested.
Also in Jerusalem, protesters hung large Israeli flag and Declaration of Independence banners on the Old City walls.
In Tel Aviv, demonstrators blocked Kaplan Street, a major thoroughfare in the central section of the city.
Police deployed water cannons in the afternoon to disperse demonstrators who had blocked the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv for more than two hours.
Forty-two persons were arrested for disturbing the peace as police cleared for traffic the north-south freeway running through the city.
