The US said it was “deeply concerned” about the situation in Israel on Sunday after the defense minister was fired after calling for a halt to the country’s controversial judiciary reform.
“We are deeply concerned about today’s events. [domingo] in Israel, which once again underscores the need for compromise,” White House National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said in a statement.
“Democratic values have always been and must remain a hallmark of the US-Israel relationship,” he said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to fire Defense Minister Yoav Gallant comes less than 24 hours after he publicly called for a break in the country’s controversial judicial reform.
“I say loudly and publicly that for the good of the State of Israel and our children, we must stop this legislative process,” Gallant said in a televised address on Saturday.
Judicial reform, promoted by Netanyahu and far-right and ultra-Orthodox coalition partners, seeks to give more power to the executive at the expense of the judiciary, whose independence would be undermined.
The government plans to pass the law this week, which has led to an intensification of protests against the reform.
After the defense official’s resignation, according to local media, tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets in different parts of the country, such as Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa or Beer Sheva.
In Tel Aviv, thousands of people blocked traffic on the city’s main thoroughfare, waving Israeli flags and chanting “democracy, democracy”.
In Jerusalem, several hundred protesters broke through one of the security cordons near the prime minister’s residence and clashed with police.
After Gallant’s resignation, the Israeli unions may announce a general strike, local media reported.
Source: DN
