Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu summoned his Defense Minister Yoav Galant on Thursday after reports emerged that the minister wished to halt the government's plans for judicial reforms, which have sparked controversy and division within the ruling coalition. However, a statement planned by Galant was canceled after he was called by the Prime Minister's office. Israeli media reported that Galant wanted to advocate for stopping the government's plans under the pretext of maintaining order within the army, informing Netanyahu about "the impact of judicial amendments on national security." Netanyahu showed no signs of retreat during a televised address in which he pledged to continue with his plans to limit the powers of the judiciary. He confirmed in a televised speech that he is determined to move forward with responsible judicial amendments, indicating that he will do whatever is necessary to calm the situation and create cohesion, stating, "We cannot allow any disagreement to threaten our future."
A far-right party in the Israeli coalition government accused Galant of abandoning the ruling right camp on Thursday after local media reported that he would call for halting the controversial judicial reforms. The Jewish Power party, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, issued a statement saying, "Yoav Galant has distanced himself from the right-wing camp." Galant belongs to the Likud party, which is led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Israeli opposition leader rejected Netanyahu's remarks, describing them as "lies" and calling for others in the ruling party to defect.
The Israeli parliament (Knesset) has passed the first of several laws that form the controversial judicial reform, while protesters opposing the changes organized another day of demonstrations to sound the alarm about what they see as the country's descent into tyranny. Netanyahu's coalition approved legislation that would protect the Israeli leader from being deemed unfit to govern due to his ongoing corruption trial and allegations of conflict of interest related to his involvement in the legal changes. Critics say the law is specifically designed for Netanyahu, encourages corruption, and deepens the divide among Israelis regarding judicial reform.
The legal changes have divided society between those who believe the new policies strip Israel of democracy and those who feel the state is being encroached upon by a liberal judiciary. The government's plan has plunged Israel into one of its worst domestic crises. Opposition is deeply rooted in broad segments of society, including business leaders and senior legal officials. Even the military has become embroiled in the political conflict, with some reservists refusing to serve due to the changes. International allies of Israel have also expressed their concerns.
Protesters have rallied, blocking major roads and setting tires ablaze near an important seaport. Netanyahu's government rejected a compromise proposal earlier this month aimed at alleviating the crisis, stating it would slow the pace of changes, pushing most of them past a month-long break in April. However, it continued to advance a key part of the reform that would grant the government control over the appointment of judges. The government claims it modified the original bill to make the law more inclusive, but opponents dismissed the move as superficial and said it would maintain government control over judicial appointments. The measure was expected to be passed next week, with the law protecting Netanyahu approved by a count of 61 votes to 47 in the 120-seat Knesset.
