Israeli President Isaac Herzog has urged the government to stop the judicial reform that has caused mass protests in the country.
"I am addressing the prime minister, the government, and the members of the coalition: emotions are heavy and painful. People are very upset. Security, economy, society - everything is at stake. The eyes of the people of Israel are fixed on you," Herzog said after the protests escalated.
On March 26, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for criticizing judicial reforms, sparking a new wave of protests across the country last night.
Netanyahu took part in a meeting discussing "pausing" reforms on March 27, when he is expected to give a public speech.
Protests against the judicial reform
At the end of December, a new government was sworn in in Israel. Netanyahu, who returned to the post of prime minister after a year and a half in opposition, introduced 33 members of the Cabinet, including representatives from the right-wing nationalist religious coalition.
The judicial reform proposed by the head of the Ministry of Justice Yariv Levin became one of the most controversial initiatives of the new Cabinet of Ministers. According to Levin, the powers of the Supreme Court are limited by the law and government decisions, and the Cabinet of Ministers takes control over the selection of judges. Thus, even if a law is found by the Supreme Court to be against the country's constitution, the parliament will have the opportunity to adopt it.
Opponents believe that this reform threatens Israel's democratic values. Mass protests began in the country.
Netanyahu called the protests the opposition's refusal to recognize his election victory. At the end of January, he announced that the reform would be implemented despite the backlash.
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