Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett calls on Netanyahu to suspend judicial reform
From CNN's Irene Nasser
Israel's former prime minister Naftali Bennett has urged the country's leader Benjamin Netanyahu to suspend the government's plan for judicial reform and to enter into a dialogue.
Bennett also said fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant should be reinstated.
"I call on the Prime Minister to withdraw Gallant's letter of dismissal, suspend the [judicial] reform, and enter into a lull of negotiation until after Independence Day," Bennett said on Twitter. "It doesn't matter who is right and who is wrong. I call on all the demonstrators and all Israeli citizens — do everything without violence, without bloodshed. We are brothers."
Mass protests erupted in Israel Sunday after Netanyahu fired Gallant following his speech calling for a delay to the government's controversial plans to overhaul the judicial system.
Gallant said the pause was needed “to allow the people of Israel to celebrate Passover and Independence Day together, and mourn together on Memorial Day and Holocaust Remembrance Day. These are holy days for us.”
Israeli Independence Day falls on April 26 this year.
Netanyahu says he is "not trying to destroy democracy" in TV interview to air Monday
From CNN's Pauline Lockwood
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “I’m not trying to destroy democracy, I’m trying to save it,” in an exclusive interview with British broadcaster Piers Morgan.
Morgan posted the quote from the interview on his Twitter account on Sunday evening.
The interview will air at 8 p.m. ET Monday on TalkTV and Fox Nation, according to Morgan’s tweet.
It's 7 a.m. in Tel Aviv after a night of protests. Here's what you need to know about Israel's political crisis
From CNN staff
Massive crowds filled the streets of the Israeli city of Tel Aviv late Sunday night after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired his defense minister over his opposition to a planned judicial overhaul.
Israel has seen months-long protests over the planned judicial overhaul, which opponents say threaten the foundations of Israeli democracy.
Here's what you need to know about Israel's deepening political crisis:
- Mass protests: Waving Israeli flags and chanting "democratia," protesters blocked streets and bridges, including the main Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv on Sunday. By the early hours protests had thinned out but live pictures from the scene showed security forces firing water cannons on protesters still gathered. Spontaneous protests also broke out in Jerusalem and other cities.
- Defense minister fired: Protesters flooded the streets after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired defense minister Yoav Gallant in a one-line statement. In a speech Saturday night, called for a pause to controversial plans to overhaul the country’s court system, becoming the first member of the Cabinet to do so.
- Other ministers speak out: Following Gallant's comments, three other Israeli government ministers — all members of Netanyahu’s Likud party — suggested that the prime minister should stop the judicial overhaul legislation. They include Diaspora Affairs and Social Equality Minister Amichai Chikli, Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar and Economy Minister Nir Barkat, who warned the overhaul plan has brought the country to the brink of civil war. Meanwhile, Israel’s Consul General in New York, Asaf Zamir, resigned in response to Netanyahu’s decision to fire Gallant.
- Universities to strike Monday: Universities in Israel will go on strike starting Monday, they announced, and the country’s largest labor union and business leaders said they would hold a news conference on Monday morning. The labor union, Histadrut, said its press conference with business leaders scheduled for 11 a.m. (4 a.m. ET) would be dramatic.
- Controversial judicial overhaul: For months, hundreds of thousands of Israelis have been taking to the streets across the country to protest far-reaching changes to Israel’s legal system. Under the proposals, the government would have control over the appointment of judges, and parliament would gain the power to override Supreme Court decisions. The government argues the changes are essential to rein in the Supreme Court, which they see as insular, elitist, and no longer representative of the Israeli people. Opponents say the plans threaten the foundations of Israeli democracy.
Israel's universities to strike on Monday, largest union announces news conference
From CNN’s Amir Tal and Richard Allen Greene in Jerusalem
Universities in Israel will go on strike starting Monday, they announced, and the country’s largest labor union and business leaders said they would hold a news conference on Monday morning.
The moves came hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired his defense minister in a dispute over the government’s controversial plans to overhaul the court system.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had called Saturday night for a pause in the legislative process. Netanyahu sacked him 24 hours later, prompting spontaneous demonstrations in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and other cities.
The labor union, Histadrut, said its press conference with business leaders would be dramatic. It is scheduled for 11 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET).
In Pictures: Mass protests after Israel defense minister fired
From CNN staff
Mass protests erupted in Israel Sunday night as thousands of people took to the streets in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem amid a worsening political crisis in the country.
Israelis took to the streets after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired his defense minister over his opposition to a planned judicial overhaul.
Waving Israeli flags and chanting "democratia," protesters could be seen blocking streets and bridges, including the main Ayalon Highway.
Protesters lit several fires on the main highway in Tel Aviv, their acrid, black smoke billowing into the sky, partly obscuring some of the city’s iconic skyscrapers. Demonstrators also gathered beside the highway, burning scrap metal and wood with almost no police around.
Protests had thinned out by around 2 a.m. local time on Monday in Tel Aviv. CNN’s crew on the ground saw about half a dozen police cars speeding toward where the protesters were and live pictures from the scene showed security forces firing water cannons on protestors still gathered.
A police spokesperson in the city told CNN police were preparing for the dispersal of the protesters from southbound Ayalon near the Hashalom interchange and called on protesters to leave the area and evacuate the road.
"Reform is necessary ... but not at the cost of civil war": Ministers call for halt of judicial overhaul plan
From CNN’s Amir Tal and Richard Allen Greene in Jerusalem
Three Israeli government ministers have suggested Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “stop and recalculate” his judicial overhaul plan, with one warning it has brought the country to the brink of civil war.
“The reform is necessary and we will do it — but not at the cost of a civil war,” said Economy Minister Nir Barkat, a member of Netanyahu’s Likud party and a former mayor of Jerusalem, early Monday.
Earlier, Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar and Diaspora Affairs and Social Equality Minister Amichai Chikli also suggested that Netanyahu stop the judicial overhaul legislation that is roiling the country.
“When the house is on fire, you don't ask who is right, but pour water and save its occupants,” Zohar tweeted. “If the Prime Minister decides to stop the legislation in order to prevent the rift created in the nation, we must support his position.”
Both men said there was a need for judicial reform, arguing only that the government should go about it in a different way.
Some context: The comments came hours after Netanyahu fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for suggesting the legislation should be put on hold. The sacking of Gallant prompted spontaneous protests on the streets of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
Israeli Consul General in New York resigns, citing "dangerous decision" to fire defense minister
From CNN's Hira Humayun
The Consul General of Israel in New York resigned on Sunday, citing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to fire the country's defense minister.
“The past 18 months as Israel’s Consul General in New York were fulfilling and rewarding, but following today’s developments, it is now time for me to join the fight for Israel's future to ensure it remains a beacon of democracy and freedom in the world,” Asaf Zamir said in his resignation letter posted to Twitter.
He went on to say the proposed judicial reforms undermine the “very foundation of our democratic system and threatens the rule of law in our country.”
"Today’s dangerous decision to fire the Minister of Defense, convinced me that I can no longer continue representing this government," he said.
