Several diplomats from different Israeli embassies abroad announced on Monday their adherence to the strikes and protests taking place in Israel against the judicial reform plan advocated by the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The information was confirmed by Yaniv Levy, spokesman for Histadrut, Israel’s largest union, who added that Israeli diplomatic missions were also on strike and that only “emergency services” were working, as both ambassadors and consuls have added to the wave of protests. that paralyzes the country.
Workers in various economic and social sectors in Israel went on strike today in another attempt to increase pressure on Netanyahu to scrap the judicial reform plan.
The immediate general strike was called this morning by the leader of the Histadrut during a press conference in which he demanded an end to the judicial reform announced by the Government, which is deeply dividing the country.
“I call for a general strike… as soon as this press conference ends. The State of Israel is coming to a standstill,” announced Arnon Arnon Bar-David, who heads Israel’s largest union.
Immediately after the announcement of the strike, Israel’s airport authorities said that flights scheduled to depart from the country’s main international airport were suspended.
The union force had been left out of the weeks-long protests in the country, but the recent resignation of the Israeli defense minister seemed to prompt this immediate strike.
On Sunday night, Netanyahu dismissed the Defense Minister, after Yoav Gallant publicly called for an end to judicial reform, in what was the first critical voice of the government, the most right-wing in Israel’s history, in relation to the proposed changes.
The Prime Minister’s decision brought more than 600,000 people to the streets in massive and impromptu protests in several Israeli cities. Universities across the country have closed “until further notice.”
According to the Histadrut spokesman, flights from the country’s main international airport were suspended, diplomats from Israeli diplomatic missions abroad walked off the job, shopping malls and universities closed their doors.
The Histadrut called its approximately 800,000 affiliates – associated with practically all areas of the economy, health and education, as well as banking – to strike and stop work.
Local governments are also expected to close nurseries and schools and close other services as well, while the main Israeli doctors’ union has also announced that the vast majority of affiliates are only supporting emergencies.
The growing resistance to Netanyahu’s plan came hours after tens of thousands of people took to the streets across the country in a spontaneous show of anger over the prime minister’s decision to fire the defense minister.
Shouting slogans such as “the country is on fire”, the protesters lit fires on Tel Aviv’s main road, causing the road to be closed, just like in other Israeli cities.
On the other hand, thousands of demonstrators protest in front of the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) to keep up the pressure.
The judicial reform triggered one of Israel’s most serious internal crises by uniting the country’s opposition, business leaders, judicial officials and even the military.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog today called on Netanyahu to “act responsibly and courageously” and end “immediately” the legislative process of the controversial judicial reform that divides the country.
The centerpiece of the review is a law that will give the ruling coalition the final say on all judicial appointments. Other laws may give parliament the ability to overturn decisions of the Supreme Court of Justice (STJ) and limit judicial review of laws.
Netanyahu and his allies said the plan would restore the balance between the judicial and executive branches and rein in what they see as an interventionist court with liberal sympathies.
But critics warned that the laws would remove Israel’s system of checks and balances and concentrate power in the hands of the ruling coalition, adding that Netanyahu, who is to be tried on corruption charges, had a conflict of interest.
Source: TSF
