Protesters Block Haifa Port Gate in Israel

On Monday, dozens of protesters, some waving the Israeli flag and others beating drums, closed the gate of Haifa Port in the north for an hour and a half. A port spokesman stated that they prevented approximately one hundred trucks from entering and delayed the loading of goods. Protest leaders called for a similar blockade at Ben Gurion Airport, which represents Israel's main international gateway, later in the day. The police pledged to prevent disruptions at Ben Gurion Airport and to keep access roads open, emphasizing the "heavy flight traffic in summer and the need to ensure emergency vehicles can respond to any incidents such as emergency landings." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had attempted to ease some of the protests through settlement talks with the opposition, but these did not yield results. He is now seeking to pass a legislative package that he claims is a milder version of the judicial reforms that caused political unrest and harmed the economy.