The general strike paralyzed Israel in protest against the draft law on judicial amendments today (Monday), and thousands of Israelis poured back into the streets in central Tel Aviv to protest the bill, and the protesters clashed with the security forces. While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government survived a motion of no-confidence submitted by the opposition in protest against these amendments, the Knesset Speaker announced that the motion of no-confidence was rejected by a vote of 59 to 53 in favor.
The opposition escalated its movements, calling for dropping the judicial project and canceling it, not just postponing it, and reinstating the sacked Minister of Defense, Yoav Gallant, to his position. The Israeli Broadcasting Authority announced that the Shas party is leading mediation to restore the defense minister to his position, while the professional trade union bodies announced a general strike. As well as the Doctors Syndicate, even dropping this judicial plan. Flights were suspended at Ben Gurion Airport, due to the strike.
On the other hand, sources in the Likud party reported that Netanyahu is heading to postpone a decision on the project, although the Constitution Committee in the Knesset had approved it, pending a general vote by Parliament.
Two major ports in Israel announced the suspension of operations due to the strike in protest against the plan for judicial amendments. Haifa Port and Ashdod Port reported in separate statements that work stopped after the main labor union declared a general strike until the government dropped legislation on judicial amendments. Some banks have suspended their operations.
Haaretz newspaper revealed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's intention to suspend the judicial amendments, which sparked widespread protests, after consultations with the leaders of the government coalition.
The newspaper suggested that the prime minister would announce the freezing of legislation related to judicial amendments.
The General Federation of Trade Unions in Israel called for a "general strike". "I call for a general strike, the movement in the State of Israel will stop," its chairman, Arnon Bar-David, said in a televised speech. And the medical unions announced a "comprehensive strike in the health sector," which will have an inevitable impact on all medical services.
Lisa Dvir, a spokeswoman for the Israel Airports Authority, confirmed to the agency that the strike would include flights at Ben Gurion Airport near coastal Tel Aviv.
The call for the general strike came hours after an appeal to Israeli President Isaac Herzog to immediately halt judicial reforms, after clashes were recorded between demonstrators and police in Tel Aviv last night, protesting the dismissal of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant from office. The minister's dismissal came after his call to freeze judicial reforms for a month, expressing fears for Israel's security.
The reform project proposed by Netanyahu's government, one of Israel's most right-wing governments, aims to strengthen parliament's power at the expense of the judiciary. Netanyahu and his allies believe that the reform aims to strike a balance between the powers of parliament and the judiciary, which they see as politicized.
Okaz (Jeddah) @okaz_online