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Here are some photos from last night’s protests, and gathering crowds today:
Following the decision by Israel’s largest trade union to strike, protesters from around the country are taking trains to Jerusalem to join protesters outside the parliament building.
Earlier, the Histadrut union, which represents more than 700,000 workers in many sectors, announced a “historic” general strike unless Netanyahu calls a halt to the judicial overhaul.
Bethan McKernan
The mass protests that appear to be bringing Netanyahu’s government to the brink are in response to the proposal of a series of reforms; including one to allow a simple majority of 61 in the 120-seat Knesset to override almost any supreme court rulings, and to allow politicians to appoint most of the justices to the bench.
The changes are spearheaded not by the prime minister but by his Likud colleague Yariv Levin, the justice minister, and the Religious Zionist MK Simcha Rothman, who chairs the Knesset’s law and justice committee.
Both men have a longstanding hatred of Israel’s supreme court, which they see as too powerful and as biased against the settler movement, Israel’s ultra-religious community, and the Mizrahi population, Jewish people of Middle Eastern origin. In particular, many on the Israeli right have never forgiven the court for decisions related to Israel’s unilateral withdraw from the Gaza Strip in 2005.
It is not lost on anyone that the measures could help Netanyahu evade prosecution in his corruption trial. He denies all charges.
Read more on the background to the Israeli protests:
Bethan McKernan
Israel is on edge this morning after street protests and political drama that dragged on late into the night.
While the mass protest movement appears more determined than ever to stop the government’s controversial plans for the judiciary, the prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu seems to have lost all control over his coalition.
His televised address scheduled for 10.30am (08.30am BST), in which it was expected he would announce a halt to the proposals, has been delayed – reportedly because of disarray within the government’s ranks.
The far-right elements are determined to press ahead with the proposals to weaken the supreme court in today’s Knesset session, even after the high profile call from defence minister Yoav Galant for a freeze to the legislation.
The Histadrut – the country’s largest trade union, which until now has stayed out of the protests – has announced a general strike; Tel Aviv airport has just gone on lockdown. People are already beginning to gather outside the parliament building in Jerusalem, ahead of a protest called for 2pm (12pm BST).
What happens next is unclear to anyone either inside the Knesset, or protesting outside. But, after 12 weeks of escalating constitutional, societal and political crisis, Israelis are tired. There is a sense that what happens today will be pivotal.
Bar-David waned Netanyahu: “Bring back the country’s sanity. If you don’t announce in a news conference today that you changed your mind, we will go on strike.”
But Netanyahu is coming under pressure from his far-right coalition partner Itamar Ben-Gvir to continue with the judiciary reforms, with the national security minister telling him not to “surrender to anarchy” – his characterisation of the mass protests seen overnight.
Ben-Gvir’s tweet followed reports Netanyahu would announce he is suspending the judicial overhaul legislation. There is some confusion about whether or not he will go ahead with that, with Reuters saying Israeli TV is now reporting that his address has been postponed.
Takeoffs from Tel Aviv’s Ben-Gurion international airport have been suspended, Reuters reports, citing an airport spokesperson.
Israel’s largest trade union launches general strike
The head of Israel’s largest trade union group says it is launching a general strike in protest over Netanyahu’s plans to overhaul the judiciary, the Associated Press (AP) reports.
The decision by the Histadrut, which represents more than 700,000 works in numerous sectors, from banks to transportation to health workers, could paralyse large parts of Israel’s economy. Arnon Bar-David, the group’s head, said he made the decision to steer Israel away from “an abyss.”
Israeli media outlets, citing sources in Netanyahu’s Likud part are reporting that the prime minister is expected to announce a freeze to the bitterly contested legislation during a televised address due shortly.
Netanyahu’s statement will follow one of the most dramatic nights in Israeli history, as tens of thousands of people took to the streets to protest against the firing of Yoav Galant, who became the first senior governing coalition official to made a public call to scrap the proposals to limit the powers of the country’s supreme court on Sunday night.
Opening summary
Israel’s embattled prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is under pressure to announce a halt to his far-right government’s controversial plans to overhaul the judiciary, after a decision to sack his defence minister for opposing the overhaul sparked mass protests across the country overnight.
We’ll be following developments throughout the day in this blog.
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