By: Chris Mitchell – CBN News; cbn.com
JERUSALEM, Israel – After a night of nationwide protests, demonstrations and riots surrounding judicial reform and the firing of Israel’s defense minister, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly considering a halt to the immediate passage of legislation to rein in the power of the courts and the legal system.
The internal battle has thrust Israel into what many believe is one of the most dangerous times since the Yom Kippur War 50 years ago.
Nearly 12 weeks of protests in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and other cities intensified Sunday after Netanyahu dismissed Defense Minister Yaov Gallant, who is a member of Netanyahu’s Likud Party. He defied the prime minister in a nationwide speech Saturday, calling for a halt to negotiations over judicial reform before the Passover break, which is coming in a little more than a week.
Israel’s President Isaac Herzog also called for calm and a halt to negotiations.
Monday morning, Histadrut, the nation’s largest union with a membership of 700,000 people, called for a nationwide strike, and departing flights were halted at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport. They aim to shut the country down.
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