Israelis embrace the ideal of democracy with the same fervor that Americans do. It’s why, on Monday, the people of Israel effectively shut down their country’s economy in a defiant, urgent statement against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s dangerous bid to overhaul — and in doing so weaken — the country’s judicial system.
Protests that have persisted for weeks peaked on Monday, as tens of thousands of demonstrators filled streets of Israel’s two largest cities, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. “Save our startup nation” read a massive banner held aloft by legions of protesters jammed into a major Jerusalem roadway. Overnight, security forces resorted to water cannons to disperse demonstrators.
The nation’s largest labor union called a general strike. Banks, government offices and many businesses closed, and hospitals barely functioned with skeleton crews. For hours, flights were halted at Ben Gurion International Airport, though later they resumed. Israeli embassies and consulates around the world also closed.
