Recap of events
Israel’s embattled leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, has announced he is pausing a controversial plan to overhaul the judiciary to give time for “dialogue” following the biggest domestic protest movement in Israeli history. The prime minister had been under pressure for weeks from far-right figures in his governing coalition to push ahead with the bill, while critics say it will create a system where governments can rule unchallenged.
The decision to delay only postpones the issue for several weeks, and it is not clear if the protests will end.
In exchange for agreeing to the delay, the far-right Jewish Power said the prime minister had offered the formation of a civil “national guard”, causing concern about an armed group under the control of far-right politician, Itamar Ben Gvir.
The crisis reached a climax on Sunday evening after Netanyahu sacked his defence minister for opposing the overhaul, sparking mass protests across the country overnight. In support of the protests, Israel’s largest trade union group launched a general strike this morning, with hundreds of thousands of people working in banks, transportation and health being told not to turn up for work. Following Netanyahu’s evening address, the union called off the strike. Major seaports had also halted work, while Israel’s main airport saw departures stop on Monday.
Israel’s embassies, including the one in Washington, reopened after Netanyahu decided to delay his judicial overhaul. The “strike is over and the embassy is reopened,” said Elad Strohmayer, spokesperson for the embassy in Washington DC.
The issue of the occupation of the Palestinian territories has not played a large part in the protests despite it being the most pressing international issue.
Updated
Explainer: What happens next?
Bethan McKernan and Quique Kierzenbaum in Jerusalem
After three months of unrelenting public pressure, the biggest protest movement in Israeli history achieved its goal: the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, finally announced a halt to his far-right government’s judicial overhaul weakening the supreme court in a televised address on Monday evening.
Proponents say the changes are needed to curb the powers of the supreme court, which plays an outsized checks-and-balances role in a country with no formal constitution and only one legislative chamber.
It is not lost on anyone that the proposals could help Netanyahu in his corruption trial, in which he denies all charges. Critics of the move say it will undermine democratic norms and the rule of law, allowing the far-right elements of Netanyahu’s coalition to press ahead with draconian measures limiting the rights of minorities, women and LGBTQ+ people.
Even as Israel grappled with nationwide upheaval, a parliamentary committee continued to push elements of the legislation forward to votes on the Knesset floor, and the far-right architects of the overhaul reiterated their determination to pass the most important elements before the Knesset breaks up for the Passover holiday on 2 April.
After a day of fractious negotiations with the prime minister’s office, the far-right coalition party Jewish Power issued a statement on Monday evening saying it had agreed to push the legislation to the next parliamentary session.
For both sides, the fight is far from over. The compromise raises the spectre of new elections if the government collapses through infighting. Many Israelis would dread that prospect: voters have been evenly split over whether Netanyahu is fit to lead the country in five polls since 2019.
After a short stint in opposition, the prime minister returned to office in December for a record-breaking sixth term after convincing three small far-right groups to run on one slate so they could clear the Knesset threshold. The move worked, giving Netanyahu’s bloc a majority of four in the 120-seat Knesset, although he won just 49.57% of the vote.
Much of the Israeli public, jaded by the endless electoral cycle, did not see the threat from the far right coming. In office, Netanyahu’s partners have proved unpalatable to the majority of the country.
Read more:
Benjamin Netanyahu says he will delay judicial overhaul after mass protests in Israel – video
Israel’s embassies, including the one in Washington, reopened after Netanyahu decided to delay his judicial overhaul.
The “strike is over and the embassy is reopened,” said Elad Strohmayer, spokesperson for the embassy in Washington DC.
The Times of Israel is reporting that Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to make a virtual appearance at the US State Department’s Democracy Summit later this week.
About 120 countries have been invited to the three-day conference, including Israel. White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the department had no comment on whether the US would rescind its offer to Netanyahu based on the recent protests. Countries like Turkey and Hungary, seen as being led by conservative, anti-democracy leaders, were not invited.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is slated to make a virtual appearance at the US State Department’s Democracy Summit later this week, two US officials tell The Times of Israel. (1/4)
— Jacob Magid (@JacobMagid) March 27, 2023
A brief tweet from Yoav Gallant, Netanyahu’s former senior defense minister, said that he welcomes Netanyahu’s announcement “to stop the legislation in favor of dialogue”.
מברך על ההחלטה לעצור את החקיקה לטובת הידברות.
— יואב גלנט (@yoavgallant) March 27, 2023
Gallant had called on Netanyahu to drop the judiciary reform proposals, leading the prime minister to fire Gallant. Protestors quickly took to the street after Gallant’s firing.
Updated
In a statement, Yair Lapid, leader of Israel’s opposition party, said the party is willing to start talks with Netanyahu’s party again “if the legislation really does stop, genuinely and totally”.
“The state of Israel is injured and hurting. We don’t need to put a plaster over the injuries but to treat them properly,” Lapid said. “We’ve got bad experience from the past and so first, we’ll make sure there’s no tricks or bluffing here. We heard with concern yesterday the reports that Netanyahu told the people close to him that he isn’t really stopping, just trying to calm the situation.”
“If he tries anything, he’ll find hundreds of thousands of patriotic Israelis who are committed to fighting for our democracy standing opposite him, committed to be the fortification that protects the country and its democracy,” he said.
Thread - Statement by Leader of the Opposition Yair Lapid
— Yair Zivan (@YairZivan) March 27, 2023
“I heard Prime Minister Netanyahu’s statement. If the legislation really does stop, genuinely and totally, we are ready to start genuine dialogue at the President’s Residence.”
The White House has welcomed Netanyahu’s announcement, calling the delay “an opportunity to create additional time and space for compromise,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a news briefing.
We welcome this announcement as an opportunity to create additional time and space for compromise. A compromise is precisely what we have been calling for.
And we continue to strongly urge Israeli leaders to find a compromise as soon as possible. We believe that it is the best path forward for Israel and all of its citizens.
Democratic societies are strengthened by checks and balances, and fundamental changes to a democratic system should be pursued with the broadest possible base of popular support.
Updated
Hello, this is Lauren Aratani in New York taking over for Oliver Holmes
UK foreign secretary James Cleverly just said in a statement that he welcomes the news from Israel on the decision to pause judiciary reform legislation, according to Reuters.
“The UK welcomes the decision today by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to pause legislation to reform Israel’s judiciary,” the statement reads. “It is vital that the shared democratic values that underpin that (UK-Israel) relationship are upheld, and a robust system of checks and balances are preserved.”
Some analysis from Bethan McKernan in Jerusalem on the deal between Netanyahu and Ben Gvir:
Israel’s extremist national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, backtracked on threats to resign ahead of an announcement from the prime minister, Netanyahu, that he was pausing legislation aimed at curbing the power of the country’s supreme court. In exchange, a statement from his Jewish Power party said that Netanyahu had agreed on the formation of a civil “national guard”, to be placed under his control.
On the surface, this deal sounds - to put it mildly - strange. Ben-Gvir is already in charge of Israel’s police. But Ben-Gvir has long campaigned for more gun permits for Israelis, and the threat of Palestinian attacks against Israelis is his party’s raison d’etre.
Some Israeli commentators said that the agreement amounts to giving Ben-Gvir a private militia. But in a country where reservist military service is already commonplace, it is unclear where the personnel for a national guard will come from - not to mention the funding. Also on Monday, the Knesset passed a state budget for 2023-2024, which does not factor in this latest development.
Netanyahu appears to be playing for time after nearly 24 hours of fractious negotiations with his far-right partners. The issue will not be revisited for another month, and that’s a very long time in Israeli politics.
Summary of the day so far
It has been a busy 24 hours in Israel. Here are the major points:
Israel’s embattled leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, has announced he is pausing a controversial plan to overhaul the judiciary to give time for “dialogue” following the biggest domestic protest movement in Israeli history.
The prime minister had been under pressure for weeks from far-right figures in his governing coalition to push ahead with the bill, while critics say it will create a system where governments can rule unchallenged.
The decision to delay only postpones the issue for several weeks, and it is not clear if the protests will end.
In exchange for agreeing to the delay, the far-right Jewish Power said the prime minister had offered the formation of a civil “national guard”, causing concern about an armed group under the control of far-right politician, Itamar Ben Gvir.
The crisis reached a climax on Sunday evening after Netanyahu sacked his defence minister for opposing the overhaul, sparking mass protests across the country overnight.
In support of the protests, Israel’s largest trade union group launched a general strike this morning, with hundreds of thousands of people working in banks, transportation and health being told not to turn up for work.
Following Netanyahu’s evening address, the union called off the strike.
Major seaports had also halted work, while Israel’s main airport saw departures stop on Monday.
The Israeli foreign ministry union called for embassy staff worldwide to strike, although it was not clear how many followed the request.
Tens of thousands of Israelis made their way to the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, to protest the bill while thousands more attended a “pro-overhaul” rally nearby.
The issue of the occupation of the Palestinian territories has not played a large part in the protests despite it being the most pressing international issue.
Israeli media is reporting that protests will continue, despite Netanyahu’s announcement.
A reminder: Netanyahu has announced a pause for several weeks, rather than agreeing to protest demands to abandon the bill completely.
Israel's labour union calls off strike after Netanyahu pauses bill
The prime minister’s decision to delay - but not abandon – his controversial judiciary bill appears to have had the intended effect on the country’s main labour union.
The group has called off its nationwide strike.
“From a will to prevent the rift in the nation, I have decided to delay the second and third reading in order to reach a broad consensus,” Netanyahu said in a prime-time televised address.
The prime minister says “most” of his coalition allies supported the move.
Netanyahu announces delay in judicial overhaul
Here is what everyone has been waiting for:
Netanyahu says he will delay the judicial overhaul bill until the next parliament session in a few weeks.
“I am taking time out for dialogue,” he says.
Netanyahu starts speech
The prime minister says he is “not ready to divide the nation in pieces”, and he will “turn over every stone to find a solution”.
He decries what he says is an “extremist minority ready to divide our nations”.
The US president, Joe Biden, has shared his concerns about the situation in Israel directly with Netanyahu, the White House has said.
White House spokesman John Kirby said Biden has been “very forthright” with Netanyahu.
Washington has watched with concern as the political crisis has unfolded.
Updated
Netanyahu to speak in less than an hour
Benjamin Netanyahu will make a statement at 8.05pm local time (1705 GMT), his office has said.
That’s in 45 minutes.
Updated
Israel’s parliament has given initial approval to the state’s 2023-2024 budget.
This is significant as it shows some cohesion in Netanyahu’s ruling coalition, indicating the prime minister has, at least temporarily, placated some of his political partners.
Noa Landau, the deputy editor of the Israeli daily, Haaretz, says the reported deal between Netanyahu and his far-right minister is a very dangerous development.
“Worse & worse: Ben Gvir now says he reached a deal with Netanyahu to delay the judicial overhaul in return to the establishment of a new police force under his direct command,” she writes on Twitter. “Ben Gvir’s private armed forces. Just what we needed…”
Netanyahu to delay judicial overhaul bill, far-right party says
The prime minister will delay the controversial planned judicial overhaul for several weeks, according to a statement from the far-right and coalition party Jewish Power, in apparent capitulation to the protesters.
The statement said the legislation would be pushed to the next session of the Israeli parliament, which takes place after the Jewish holiday of Passover, in order to “pass the reform through dialogue”.
The head of Jewish Power, Itamar Ben-Gvir, is seen as the biggest proponent of the judicial overhaul bill.
In exchange for agreeing to the delay, Jewish Power said the prime minister had offered the formation of a civil “national guard”. The national guard forces will be placed under Ben Gvir’s National Security Ministry.
You can read more about Ben-Gvir here:
Updated
Netanyahu to 'extend' process for judicial overhaul, far-right party says
A far-right party spearheading the judicial overhaul bill has said that Netanyahu had agreed to give an extension to pass the judicial reform bill.
Itamar Ben-Gvir’s party, Jewish Power, released a statement just now, although the prime minister himself has not spoken.
This suggests that Netanyahu has effectively suspended the bill but not abandoned it, a middle ground that will unlikely fully appease either side but allow the prime minister to play with more time.
Updated
Local media is reporting that Netanyahu has arrived at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament.
It has now been several hours since he was expected to make a statement. It is likely he spent the day holding negotiations with various politicians in his coalition.
An update from our Jerusalem correspondent, Bethan McKernan, who is outside the Knesset at the protest:
A sea of white and blue (+ handful of Palestinian and LGBTQ+ flags) at what is shaping up as the apex of Israel’s biggest ever protest movement. Hebrew media reports Bibi told US officials he will suspend the judicial overhaul. Still no ETA on his address delayed from this AM pic.twitter.com/ovUUtMHXnF
— Bethan McKernan (@mck_beth) March 27, 2023
Here are some more photos from outside the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, where protests are still growing:
Opposition Knesset members shout “shame” during judicial committee
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Finance minister says judicial overhaul must go ahead
Israel’s finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, has warned Benjamin Netanyahu that the judicial overhaul must go ahead.
He says it will “correct the judicial system” and claims it will “improve democracy”.
The minister is part of an extremist settler party. He has previously claimed there is “no such thing” as a Palestinian people and called for a Palestinian town to be “wiped out”.
Smotrich’s comments on Monday will add pressure on Netanyahu to move forward with the overhaul.
Updated
Bethan McKernan reports for the Guardian from Jerusalem:
It is impossible to even get close to the Knesset compound: the parks and roads surrounding it are packed with people singing, playing drums, and waving Israel’s blue and white national flag.
This is perhaps the final push of a 12-week-old protest movement as Benjamin Netanyahu looks set to cave on bitterly contested judicial reforms – at least temporarily.
As with all the other demonstrations across the country in Israel’s biggest ever protest movement, the crowd appears to be diverse – young, old, religious, secular, Ashkenazi and Mizrahi – groups of Israeli society that do not overlap often.
Palestinian citizens of Israel, who make up 20% of the population, are once again noticeably absent: that community, and the 5 million Palestinians who live under Israeli military rule in the occupied territories, have long questioned the country’s democratic character.
But there is no denying the zeal and determination of the thousands of people on the streets of Jerusalem holding banners reading “fight for the soul of the nation” and chanting “no to dictatorship”.
“We’re not there yet but we’re making great progress,” said a man who gave his name as Moshe, 63, a retired air force pilot. With a small group of friends, he was handing out Israeli flags. “We have morale, we must keep going.”
Updated
Tia Goldenberg at Associated Press offers this round-up of the latest situation, reporting that workers from a range of sectors in Israel have launched a nationwide strike which threatens to paralyse the economy as they join a surging protest movement against the prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to overhaul the judiciary.
Departing flights from the country’s main international airport were grounded, large mall chains and universities shut their doors, and Israel’s largest trade union called for its 800,000 members – in health, transit, banking and other fields – to stop work. Diplomats walked off the job at foreign missions, local governments were expected to close the preschools they run and cut other services, and the main doctors union announced its members would also strike.
On Monday Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, called again for an immediate halt to the overhaul. “The entire nation is rapt with deep worry. Our security, economy, society – all are under threat,” he said. “Wake up now!”
The opposition leader Yair Lapid said the crisis was driving Israel to the brink.
Updated
Images coming in from the scene of protests outside Israel’s parliament show that some scuffles have taken place between security forces and protesters.
This aerial view shows the scale of the protest.
Here is a timeline of how Benjamin Netanyahu’s judicial reform plans built up to today’s crisis:
29 December – Benjamin Netanyahu is sworn in as head of a hard-right government.
4 January – Netanyahu’s new government announces a plan to allow parliament to overturn some supreme court rulings and grant the government more say in nominations to the bench. The justice minister, Yariv Levin, says: “These reforms will strengthen the judicial system and restore public faith in it.”
12 January – The president of Israel’s supreme court, Esther Hayut, says the judicial reform plan would crush the justice system and undermine Israeli democracy.
14 January – Tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrate in cities against the judicial plans. Netanyahu dismisses the protests as a refusal by leftist opponents to accept the election results.
2 February – In an official legal advisory to the justice minister, the attorney general, Gali Baharav-Miara, says the plans will harm the country’s democratic checks and balances and risks giving government unbridled power.
5 February – President Isaac Herzog, whose position is largely ceremonial, says: “Stop the whole process for a moment, take a deep breath, allow for dialogue because there is a huge majority of the people who would like dialogue.”
5 March – Dozens of Israeli air force reservists say they will not turn up for a training day in protest, joining a growing number of reservists staying away because of the plans.
15 March – President Herzog presents alternative changes to the judiciary, saying “most Israelis want a plan that will bring both justice and peace.” Netanyahu rejects the idea.
19 March – US President Joe Biden says he supports “efforts underway to forge a compromise on proposed judicial reforms”, the White House says after a call with Netanyahu.
20 March – Netanyahu announces steps he says will soften his judicial overhaul plan, but the opposition reject the claim and says it will still challenge key legislation in the supreme court.
24 March – The attorney general accuses Netanyahu of breaking the law by ignoring a conflict of interest over his ongoing trial for corruption and getting directly involved in the judicial overhaul plan.
25 March – The defence minister, Yoav Gallant, a member of Netanyahu’s Likud party, calls on the government to halt legislation on changes to the judiciary, saying the dispute poses a danger to national security.
26 March – Netanyahu sacks his defence minister, prompting hundreds of thousands to take to the streets in a wave of protests across the country.
27 March – Netanyahu was expected to call a halt to his judicial plans, but an announcement is delayed as he struggles to stop his nationalist-religious coalition from falling apart over a climbdown.
Updated
Foreign ministry union instructs embassy staff to strike
Reuters is reporting that the Israeli foreign ministry union is calling for embassy staff worldwide to strike.
We have asked the embassy in London if they are striking.
Netanyahu calls for protesters 'on right and left' to behave responsibly
The prime minister has broken his silence with a tweet:
אני קורא לכל המפגינים בירושלים, מימין ומשמאל, לנהוג באחריות ולא לפעול באלימות. אנשים אחים אנחנו.
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) March 27, 2023
He calls on “demonstrators in Jerusalem, on the right and the left, to behave responsibly and not to act violently”.
This is likely in response to reports that far-right groups are moving towards the protest rallies. There are concerns about a clash.
Updated
The national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, the far-right minister who wanted to neuter the judiciary, is considering quitting the ruling coalition, according to the Times of Israel news website.
Israeli media is generally suggesting that Netanyahu is likely to freeze the judicial overhaul legislation in an attempt to deal with the political crisis. That, however, could leave him exposed to far-right figures in his coalition like Ben- Gvir, who could threaten to topple his government.
Updated
Israel’s justice minister has said he would respect any decision the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, makes about the judicial overhaul.
“A situation in which everyone does as they wish is liable to bring about the instant fall of the government and collapse of the (ruling party) Likud,” Yariv Levin said in a statement. “We must all strive to stabilise the government and coalition.”
It is still unclear which way Netanyahu will go today – push ahead with the overhaul or, as demonstrators demand, halt the process.
Updated
Crowds are gathering in Jerusalem, near the supreme court and the Knesset, Israel’s parliament.
Major seaports halt work due to strike
Reuters is reporting that the country’s two major ports have halted operations due to the labour strike today, which was called to pressure the government.
Haifa port in the north and Ashdod port in the south have both stopped working, according to officials.
What is the impact for Palestinians?
Many will be wondering today how this movement affects millions of Palestinians.
The fundamental issue at the core of the protests is preserving the balance of power in Israeli politics. However, for Palestinians, the judiciary is not seen as a balancing force but as part of the system that oppresses them. While they don’t want more powers handed to the far-right government, they won’t lament the weakening of the Israeli courts either.
For example, the supreme court has backed a much-criticised nation state law, which declared that “the right to exercise national self-determination” in Israel is “unique to the Jewish people”, effectively defining Palestinian-Israelis as second-class citizens. Last year, the justices – one of whom is a settler – ruled that 1,000 Palestinians could be evicted from their homes in the West Bank to make way for an army training zone.
Last month, our Jerusalem correspondent Bethan McKernan explained how Israel’s own Arab minority had been alienated by the protest movements:
[This] centre-left rebellion against what is seen as a coup by far-right extremists has a demographic fault line: Palestinian-Israelis, who make up one-fifth of the population, have been conspicuously absent from the protests to date, even though the new government is fervently anti-Arab and the community is likely to be hit hardest by the judicial reforms. The West Bank is already roiling after a year of increasing violence.
For most of those demonstrating, the fate of the judiciary and Israel’s control over Palestinians are separate issues – but for Palestinian citizens of Israel, and anti-occupation activists, the country’s democratic character has long been under question.
Small blocs of anti-occupation protesters have marched at most of the demonstrations, but a refusal to allow Palestinian flags onstage in the Tel Aviv demos, and the fact that only two Palestinian-Israeli speakers have addressed the crowds so far, has left many Palestinian citizens of Israel feeling alienated from the anti-government movement.
Main highway through Tel Aviv blocked
Protesters have again cut off the main thoroughfare in Tel Aviv.
שומע בן גביר? חסמו את איילון, שוב
— Josh Breiner (@JoshBreiner) March 27, 2023
לא תחטוף לנו את המדינה. pic.twitter.com/StLsQynpWN
Here are some photos from last night’s protests, and gathering crowds today:
Updated
Following the decision by Israel’s largest trade union to strike, protesters from around the country are taking trains to Jerusalem to join protesters outside the parliament building.
Earlier, the Histadrut union, which represents more than 700,000 workers in many sectors, announced a “historic” general strike unless Netanyahu calls a halt to the judicial overhaul.
The mass protests that appear to be bringing Netanyahu’s government to the brink are in response to the proposal of a series of reforms; including one to allow a simple majority of 61 in the 120-seat Knesset to override almost any supreme court rulings, and to allow politicians to appoint most of the justices to the bench.
The changes are spearheaded not by the prime minister but by his Likud colleague Yariv Levin, the justice minister, and the Religious Zionist MK Simcha Rothman, who chairs the Knesset’s law and justice committee.
Both men have a longstanding hatred of Israel’s supreme court, which they see as too powerful and as biased against the settler movement, Israel’s ultra-religious community, and the Mizrahi population, Jewish people of Middle Eastern origin. In particular, many on the Israeli right have never forgiven the court for decisions related to Israel’s unilateral withdraw from the Gaza Strip in 2005.
It is not lost on anyone that the measures could help Netanyahu evade prosecution in his corruption trial. He denies all charges.
Read more on the background to the Israeli protests:
Updated
Israel is on edge this morning after street protests and political drama that dragged on late into the night.
While the mass protest movement appears more determined than ever to stop the government’s controversial plans for the judiciary, the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, seems to have lost all control over his coalition.
His televised address scheduled for 10.30am (08.30am BST), in which it was expected he would announce a halt to the proposals, has been delayed – reportedly because of disarray within the government’s ranks.
The far-right elements are determined to press ahead with the proposals to weaken the supreme court in today’s Knesset session, even after the high profile call from the defence minister, Yoav Galant, for a freeze to the legislation.
The Histadrut – the country’s largest trade union, which until now has stayed out of the protests – has announced a general strike; Tel Aviv airport has just gone on lockdown. People are already beginning to gather outside the parliament building in Jerusalem, ahead of a protest called for 2pm (12pm BST).
What happens next is unclear to anyone either inside the Knesset, or protesting outside. But, after 12 weeks of escalating constitutional, societal and political crisis, Israelis are tired. There is a sense that what happens today will be pivotal.
Updated
The trade unionist Arnon Bar-David warned Netanyahu: “Bring back the country’s sanity. If you don’t announce in a news conference today that you changed your mind, we will go on strike.”
But Netanyahu is coming under pressure from his far-right coalition partner Itamar Ben-Gvir to continue with the judiciary reforms, with the national security minister telling him not to “surrender to anarchy” – his characterisation of the mass protests seen overnight.
Ben-Gvir’s tweet followed reports Netanyahu would announce he is suspending the judicial overhaul legislation. There is some confusion about whether or not he will go ahead with that, with Reuters saying Israeli TV is now reporting that his address has been postponed.
Takeoffs from Tel Aviv’s Ben-Gurion international airport have been suspended, Reuters reports, citing an airport spokesperson.
Updated
Israel’s largest trade union launches general strike
The head of Israel’s largest trade union group says it is launching a general strike in protest over Netanyahu’s plans to overhaul the judiciary, the Associated Press reports.
The decision by the Histadrut, which represents more than 700,000 works in numerous sectors, from banks to transportation to health workers, could paralyse large parts of Israel’s economy. Arnon Bar-David, the group’s head, said he made the decision to steer Israel away from “an abyss”.
Updated
Israeli media outlets, citing sources in Netanyahu’s Likud part are reporting that the prime minister is expected to announce a freeze to the bitterly contested legislation during a televised address due shortly.
Netanyahu’s statement will follow one of the most dramatic nights in Israeli history, as tens of thousands of people took to the streets to protest against the firing of Yoav Galant, who became the first senior governing coalition official to made a public call to scrap the proposals to limit the powers of the country’s supreme court on Sunday night.
Updated
Opening summary
Israel’s embattled prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is under pressure to announce a halt to his far-right government’s controversial plans to overhaul the judiciary, after a decision to sack his defence minister for opposing the overhaul sparked mass protests across the country overnight.
We’ll be following developments throughout the day in this blog.
Updated
