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Chaos in Israel: People took to the streets, police used water cannons

A large number of Israelis took to the streets to protest against the government's judicial reform, and during the protests there were riots in Tel Aviv.

The police used water cannons. The organizers claim that 230,000 people came out in Tel Aviv, while "The Times of Israel" refers to the report of "Channel 12" which claims that 165,000 people are on the streets.

Organizers also say 450,000 people have turned out for protests across the country, and according to the latest information, riots broke out in Tel Aviv, where police used water cannons to remove dozens of protesters blocking the Ayalon highway.

"We will take to the streets until the state promises us that the state of Israel will remain democratic," said the organizers.



The judicial reform, proposed by the new government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, would be one of the most radical changes ever to Israel's system of government, as it would limit the powers of the Supreme Court, allow the government to choose judges and end the appointment of legal advisers to ministries on the part of the state prosecutor.

Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption, claims his plan to reform the judiciary would advance democracy.

Citizen protests against the announced reform have been taking place in Israel for months.

https://www.b92.net/eng/news/world.php?yyyy=2023&mm=04&dd=01&nav_id=115702

‘Historic’ strikes leave Israel at standstill with crowds in streets to protest judicial reform

Jerusalem CNN — Israel’s political crisis escalated into uncharted territory Monday as the country’s largest trade union announced a “historic” strike shutting down transportation, universities, restaurants and retailers in protest against Prime Minister’s Benjamin Netanyahu’s planned judicial overhaul.

Israel’s Histadrut trade union which coordinated the strike said that some government ministries, the country’s three biggest cities, banks, ports and many other companies and agencies were on strike on Monday and added that essential services such as hospitals and firefighters were to operate on a Saturday schedule.

All takeoffs from Israel’s main airport, Ben Gurion Tel Aviv, were halted for several hours because of the strike. Workers at the country’s largest port in Haifa stopped working, some universities were shuttered and some of the country’s best-known retailers, including McDonald’s and the shopping mall chain Azrieli Group, announced closures.

Several Israeli embassies including the ones in Washington DC, London and Paris, were closed on Monday after their workers and some diplomats joined the strike.

Massive crowds filled the streets of the Israeli city of Tel Aviv late Sunday night after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired his defense minister over his opposition to a planned judicial overhaul.

Massive spontaneous protests took over the Israeli city of Tel Aviv late Sunday night in response to the Gallant news, with people waving Israeli flags and chanting “democracy.” Protesters lit several fires on the main highway in the city and blocked number of streets and bridges, including the Ayalon Highway.

Despite reports in Israeli media that Netanyahu would speak on Monday, his only comments since he fired Gallant came in a short tweet in which he urged protesters to “behave responsibly.”

“I call on all the demonstrators in Jerusalem, on the right and the left, to behave responsibly and not to act violently. We are brotherly people,” he said on Twitter.

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis have been protesting for months against the planned judicial changes which would give the governing parties more control over Israel’s judiciary.

Israel’s former Prime Minister Yair Lapid urged Netanyahu to reverse the decision to fire Gallant, calling the move a “new low.” He wrote on Twitter that Netanyahu might be able to fire the minister but “cannot fire the people of Israel who are standing up to the insanity of the coalition.”

In a statement issued later, Lapid called the past 24 hours “madness,” “loss of control” and “loss of direction.”

“We’ve never been closer to falling apart. Our national security is at risk, our economy is crumbling, our foreign relations are at their lowest point ever, we don’t know what to say to our children about their future in this country. We have been taken hostage by a bunch of extremists with no brakes and no boundaries,” he said.
Calls to ‘stop and recalculate’ reform

Gallant argued for a halt to the judicial reforms in a speech Saturday night, when Netanyahu was out of the country on an official visit to the United Kingdom. Some military reservists have pledged to pull out of their service in opposition to the plans, which critics say would undermine the independence of the judiciary. Gallant said pressing ahead with the proposals could threaten Israel’s security.

His ouster and the mass protests that followed prompted a string of prominent officials to call for a halt to the judicial reform process.

In a Facebook post on Monday, Israel’s President Isaac Herzog called on Netanyahu and his government to immediately pause the plans, saying “the eyes of the whole world are on you.”

“Deep concern hovers over the entire nation. Security, economy, society – everyone is threatened,” Herzog said in the statement.

“The eyes of all the people of Israel are on you. The eyes of all the Jewish people are on you. The eyes of the whole world are on you. For the sake of the unity of Israelis, for the sake of committed responsibility I call on you to halt the legislative procedure immediately.”

Separately, more than two dozen mayors from across Israel declared hunger strike over judicial overhaul on Monday.

Moshe Fadlon, the mayor of the coastal city of Herzliya, posted a statement saying: “Starting tomorrow morning, [we] are launching a hunger strike in Jerusalem opposite the prime minister’s office, demanding an end to the huge crisis and the disaster that Israel is hurtling towards, to prevent the security of the country being affected and for the sake of togetherness and unity of the country.”

The statement was signed by 27 officials, representing a broad spectrum of local authorities across the country.

Amid the protests, Netanyahu is under increasing pressure from his own party.

As protesters gathered into the early hours of Monday, Economy Minister Nir Barkat, Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar and Diaspora Affairs and Social Equality Minister Amichai Chikli – all members of Netanyahu’s Likud party – also suggested that Netanyahu should stop the legislation.

Barkat, a former mayor of Jerusalem, suggested Netanyahu should “stop and recalculate” his overhaul plan, warning it has brought the country to the brink of civil war.

“The reform is necessary and we will do it – but not at the cost of a civil war,” he said.

Even some of the most forceful proponents of the reform appeared to be softening their stance. Justice Minister Yariv Levin, who has strongly advocated for the reform to be pushed through, opened the door to the possibility of a delay on Monday.

“I will respect any decision that Prime Minister Netanyahu makes regarding legal reform legislative procedures,” Levin, who is a member of Netanyahu’s Likud party, said.

“This is with the knowledge that a situation in which everyone does what he feels like, may immediately lead to the fall of the government and the collapse of the Likud,” he said.

In his speech on Saturday, Gallant said the pause was needed “for the security of Israel,” citing the refusal of some Israel Defense Forces reservists to train in protest at the government plans.

Gallant reiterated that sentiment in a tweet on Sunday after his dismissal: “The security of the State of Israel has always been and will always remain the mission of my life.”

Under the proposals, the government would have control over the appointment of judges, and parliament would gain the power to override Supreme Court decisions.

The government argues the changes are essential to rein in the Supreme Court, which they see as insular, elitist, and no longer representative of the Israeli people. Opponents say the plans threaten the foundations of Israeli democracy.

Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir had called on Netanyahu to fire Gallant after his speech on Saturday. “Gallant gave in tonight to blackmail and threats from all those anarchists who call for resistance and use the [Israel Defense Forces] as a bargaining tool,” Gvir tweeted.

Part of the bill – which effectively strips the courts of the power to declare a prime minister unfit for office – has already been pushed through.

Critics say Netanyahu is pushing through the changes because of his own ongoing corruption trial; Netanyahu denies this.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/27/middleeast/israel-judicial-overhaul-legislation-intl/index.html

Could this be a potential sign of what could soon happen here?

Man O Man if the Israeli military turns on Nnayu. He’s toast.

I'm not sure if that's how things will turn out but it certainly seems like their is a portion of their military that stands with the people rather than Netanyahu. A division within the ranks of their military would be disastrous as well.

Hey, if you are under indictment, just change the laws and appoint new judges who will be in your favor.

Another example of the golden rule.

It's a cancer in the thinking of the far-right. Netanyahu has been emulating Trumian BS for a minute now. The primary difference being Netanyahu is much better at it, and generally smarter all around. But he is really just another thug ass right-winger. Hopefully, they will help him sail off into the sunset.

Israelis block highways and throng airport in protest at government’s plan to overhaul the judiciary

JERUSALEM (AP) — Thousands of Israeli protesters took to the streets on Tuesday, blocking major highways and thronging the country’s main international airport, in countrywide demonstrations against the government’s contentious plan to overhaul the country’s judicial system..

The demonstrations came the morning after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s parliamentary coalition gave initial approval to a bill to limit the Supreme Court’s oversight powers, pressing forward with a plan that has bitterly divided the nation. Netanyahu’s ultranationalist and ultra-Orthodox allies have proposed a series of bills that have provoked months of sustained protests by opponents who say the country is being pushed toward authoritarian rule.

Anti-overhaul activists demonstrated nationwide throughout the day, including a mass protest Tuesday afternoon at Ben-Gurion International Airport. An estimated 10,000 people gathered outside the main hall, blowing horns and waving blue and white Israeli flags. Police kept the crowd from entering the hall, and travel was not disrupted.

“Civil war! I think we’re going that way if they’re not going to stop,” said Adi Somech, one of the protesters.

Mass protests have taken place since Netanyahu’s far-right government presented the overhaul plan in January, days after taking office. The protests led Netanyahu to suspend the overhaul in March, but he decided to revive the plan last month after compromise talks with the political opposition collapsed. The parliamentary vote overnight Tuesday gave fresh momentum to the protest movement.

Police used a water cannon to clear protesters who blocked a main artery leading to Jerusalem. Officers arrested several others who had obstructed a highway next to the central city of Modiin. Demonstrators blocked a main highway in Haifa with a large banner reading “Together we will be victorious,” snarling traffic along the beachfront. A protest outside Netanyahu’s home in central Jerusalem was planned later Tuesday.

Police reported a total of 66 arrests nationwide. Protesters scuffled with police in various locations, but no major violence was reported.

Netanyahu’s allies have proposed a series of changes to the Israeli legal system aimed at weakening what they say are the excessive powers of unelected judges.

The proposed changes include giving Netanyahu’s allies control over the appointment of judges and giving parliament power to overturn court decisions. The legislation advanced Tuesday aims to strip the Supreme Court of its power to review the “reasonability” of government decisions — a safeguard that proponents say is needed to prevent corruption and improper political appointments.

The Netanyahu government, which took office in December, is the most hard-line ultranationalist and ultra-Orthodox in Israel’s 75-year history. His allies proposed the sweeping changes to the judiciary after the country held its fifth elections in under four years, all of them seen as a referendum on Netanyahu’s fitness to serve as prime minister while on trial for corruption.

Critics of the judicial overhaul say it will upset the country’s fragile system of checks and balances and concentrate power in the hands of Netanyahu and his allies. They also say Netanyahu has a conflict of interest because he is on trial for charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes.

A wide section of Israeli society, including reserve military officers, business leaders, LGBTQ+ people and members of other minority groups have joined the protests. The ongoing unrest has unnerved foreign investors and caused Israel’s currency, the shekel, to drop in value.

On Tuesday, 300 reservists from the military’s elite cyber warfare unit signed a letter saying they would not volunteer for service, explaining the government has demonstrated “it is determined to destroy the state of Israel.”

“Sensitive cyber abilities with the potential for being used for evil must not be given to a criminal government that is undermining the foundations of democracy,” the letter said.

Fighter pilots and members of other elite units also have threatened to stop reporting for duty.

Arnon Bar-David, head of the country’s national labor union, the Histadrut, threatened a possible general strike that could paralyze the country’s economy.

“If the situation reaches an extreme, we will intervene and employ our strength,” Bar-David said, calling on Netanyahu to “stop the chaos.”

The Histadrut called a general strike in March as the government pushed the judicial overhaul legislation through parliament after weeks of protest. The move shut down large swaths of Israel’s economy and helped contribute to Netanyahu’s decision to suspend the legislation.

https://apnews.com/article/israel-b...aRH8DganYkwzoC6qM-zOlQcoZETOr85QofyV5qzg

Israeli parliament gives initial OK to measure limiting the Supreme Court’s oversight powers

JERUSALEM (AP) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s parliamentary coalition gave initial approval early Tuesday to a contentious bill to limit the Supreme Court’s oversight powers, pressing forward with a judicial overhaul plan that has polarized Israel.

The legislation is one of several bills proposed by Netanyahu’s ultranationalist and ultra-Orthodox allies. The plan has provoked months of sustained protests by opponents who say it is pushing the country toward authoritarian rule. Mass protests were expected later Tuesday in response to the vote.

Lawmakers held the first of three readings of a bill that would curb the high court’s ability to scrutinize the “reasonability” of decisions made by elected officials.

That standard was implemented by the Supreme Court earlier this year to strike down the appointment of a Netanyahu ally as interior minister because of a past conviction for bribery and a 2021 plea deal for tax evasion.

Critics say removing that standard would allow the government to pass arbitrary decisions, make improper appointments or firings and open the door to corruption.

The bill passed in a parliamentary session that stretched past midnight by a vote of 64 to 56. Opposition lawmakers shouted “shame,” while members of Netanyahu’s coalition stood and cheered after the vote passed. The bill must still be passed in two more readings to become law.

Anti-overhaul activists called for a series of nationwide mass demonstrations Tuesday, including protests that could disrupt travel at Israel’s main international airport.

Netanyahu’s allies have proposed a series of changes to the Israeli legal system aimed at weakening what they say are the excessive powers of unelected judges. The proposed changes include giving Netanyahu’s allies control over the appointment of judges and giving parliament power to overturn court decisions.

Netanyahu put the overhaul plan on hold in March after weeks of mass protests. But last month, he decided to revive the plan after talks with the political opposition aimed at finding a compromise collapsed.

The Netanyahu government, which took office in December, is the most hardline ultranationalist and ultra-Orthodox in Israel’s 75-year history. His allies proposed the sweeping changes to the judiciary after the country held its fifth elections in under four years, all of them seen as a referendum on Netanyahu’s fitness to serve as prime minister while on trial for corruption.

Critics of the plan say it will upset the country’s fragile system of checks and balances and concentrate power in the hands of Netanyahu and his allies. They also say Netanyahu has a conflict of interest because he is on trial for charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes, all of which he has denied.

A wide swath of Israeli society, including reserve military officers, business leaders, LGBTQ+ and other minority groups have joined the protests.

https://apnews.com/article/israel-p...verhaul-d04bf5585f08879d35c43a33ebdf7be3

So the leader of Israel, who is currently facing corruption charges, doesn't want the court to have the power to stop him from appointing someone who has been convicted on bribery and tax evasion charges. Sounds like something crazy that could soon be coming to a venue near you.

Israel passed a bill to limit the Supreme Court’s power. Here’s what comes next

Jerusalem CNN —

Israel’s parliament on Monday passed the controversial “reasonableness” bill, the first major legislation in the government’s plan to weaken the judiciary, despite six months of protests and American pressure against the most significant shakeup to the court system since the country’s founding.

The bill passed by a vote of 64-0, with all members of the governing coalition voting for it. All members of the opposition left the chamber while the roll call vote was taking place.

After rumors last week that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may back down on the vote or even soften some of its components, the 73-year-old leader pushed forward with it and on Monday arrived at parliament, the Knesset, shortly after being released from hospital.

The so-called reasonableness bill strips the Supreme Court of the power to declare government decisions unreasonable.

It is the first major piece of the multi-pronged judicial overhaul plan to be passed by the Knesset. Lawmakers on Sunday began a marathon debate on it which lasted until the following morning.

The overhaul has split the country, with hundreds of thousands taking to the streets in protest. Here’s what you need to know about it:

What are the changes?

The judicial overhaul is a package of bills that each need to pass three votes in the Knesset.

While Netanyahu and his supporters say it is meant to rebalance powers between the branches of government, critics say it poses a threat to Israeli democracy and to the independence of the judiciary.

The reasonableness doctrine is not unique to Israel’s judiciary. The principle is used in a number of countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.

The standard is commonly used by courts there to determine the constitutionality or lawfulness of a given legislation, and allows judges to make sure that decisions made by public officials are “reasonable.”

The standard was used this year when Netanyahu dismissed key ally Aryeh Deri from all ministerial posts, in compliance with an Israeli High Court ruling that it was unreasonable to appoint him to positions in government due to his criminal convictions and because he had said in court last year that he would retire from public life.

Other elements of the overhaul would give the right-wing government more control over the appointment of judges, as well as remove independent legal advisors from ministries. Those bills have not yet advanced as far in the legislative process as the reasonableness bill.

The prime minister and his supporters argue that the Supreme Court has become an insular, elitist group that does not represent the Israeli people. They say it has overstepped its role, getting into issues it should not rule on.

Defending his plans, the prime minister has pointed to countries like the United States, where politicians control which federal judges are appointed and approved.

Critics also say Netanyahu is pushing the overhaul forward to protect himself from his own corruption trial, where he faces charges of fraud, bribery and breach of trust. He denies any wrongdoing.

Another bill, already voted through in March, makes it more difficult for a sitting prime minister to be declared unfit for office, restricting the reasons to physical or mental incapacity and requiring either the prime minister themselves, or two-thirds of the cabinet, to vote for such a declaration.

Why do these changes matter?

Should the overhaul pass, the changes will be the most extreme shakeup to Israel’s judiciary since its founding in 1948.

Proposals to change the judicial process aren’t new, as figures from across the political spectrum have in the past called for reform.

Israel, which has no written constitution but only a set of quasi-constitutional basic laws, has had a relatively powerful Supreme Court, which supporters of the changes argue is problematic.

But the Supreme Court is the only check on the power of the Knesset and the government, since the executive and legislative branches are always controlled by the same governing coalition.

Critics say the overhaul will destroy the only avenue available to provide checks and balances in the governing of the country. They also warn it will harm the independence of the Israeli judiciary and will hurt rights not enshrined in Israel’s basic laws, like minority rights and freedom of expression.

Netanyahu rules over the most right-wing government in Israel’s history, including both ultra-nationalist and ultra-religious parties. Some members of the government have come under fire for expressing extremist views.

According to polling released in February by the Israel Democracy Institute, only a minority of Israelis support the changes. The vast majority – 72% – want a compromise to be reached and, even then, 66% think the Supreme Court should have the power to strike down laws and 63% of Israelis think the current method of appointing judges should stay as it is.

Millions of Israelis oppose the bill, including dozens of business leaders. Even Netanyahu’s own defense minister, Yoav Gallant, has called several times for delaying the overhaul in order to seek broad consensus. Netanyahu said he was dismissing Gallant earlier this year for criticizing the overhaul, but never went through with the firing.

A group of 150 leading Israeli companies went on strike Monday to protest Monday’s bill.

As news of the new law emerged, Israel’s main stock index, the TA-35 was trading more than 2% lower. The index had been enjoying a rally in recent weeks, climbing more than 6% over the last month. The Israeli Shekel was also weaker against the dollar, dropping just under 1%.

What are Israel’s allies saying?

Israel’s allies, including the United States, have expressed concern about the overhaul.

US President Joe Biden last week sent a message to Netanyahu via the New York Times’ Thomas Friedman, saying that the prime minister is risking the US-Israeli relationship should the overhaul pass without broad consensus.

“This is obviously an area about which Israelis have strong views, including in an enduring protest movement that is demonstrating the vibrancy of Israel’s democracy, which must remain the core of our bilateral relationship,” Biden told Friedman.

“Finding consensus on controversial areas of policy means taking the time you need. For significant changes, that’s essential. So my recommendation to Israeli leaders is not to rush. I believe the best outcome is to continue to seek the broadest possible consensus here.”

Netanyahu is yet to receive an invitation to the White House, but Israel’s President Isaac Herzog – who has been trying to forge a compromise between government and opposition on the overhaul – was invited to meet Biden in Washington last week.

On his trip, Herzog called America “our greatest partner and friend,” while also acknowledging criticism from some House progressives.

What happens now that the bill has passed?

Israel’s domestic schism could get deeper with the passing of Monday’s bill. Those who oppose it have vowed not to take it sitting down, and the country could face labor strikes, refusals to serve in the military and even a constitutional crisis as a result.

The country’s umbrella labor union, the Histadrut, warned moments after the bill was passed that if the government continued to legislate unilaterally, there would be serious consequences, and made preparations to declare a strike.

And the Movement for Quality Government, an Israeli NGO, filed a petition with the Supreme Court, asking it to find the reasonableness law illegal on the grounds that it changes the basic structure of Israeli democracy, and requesting that it block implementation of the law until the court has ruled on it.

The Israel Bar Association is already preparing a legal challenge, the lawyers’ group said Sunday. Its executive, the Bar Council, approved the decision to petition the Supreme Court to cancel the reasonableness law once it passes, the Bar said.

The Bar also warned that it will shut down “as an act of protest against the anti-democratic legislative process,” the statement said. That means the Bar Association would not provide professional services to its members, and not that lawyers would go on strike.

Opposition to the overhaul has also reached Israel’s security establishment with members of the military protesting the bill and more than 1,000 Air Force reservists threatening to stop volunteering.

After the bill passed, former Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid urged military reservists “whose hearts were broken today” not to refuse to serve until the Supreme Court has ruled on the law.

“Don’t stop serving as long as we don’t know what the ruling will be,” Lapid said.

Petitions for the Supreme Court to throw out the law, and to block its implementation until there is a court ruling, are expected to be filed when the court opens for business on Tuesday.

If the Supreme Court rules the unreasonableness law itself as unreasonable, invalidating the law that strips the court itself of its powers, this could trigger a constitutional crisis that sets the government and the court against each other.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/24/midd...orms-vote-explained-mime-intl/index.html

Netanyahu is not putting up with leftist tactics in Israel. Good for him. Threat to Democracy is just the leftist speak for he is kicking socialist programs to the curb.

So you advocate the government setting laws and rules for themselves without checks and balances. Good to know. You are simply framing anti democratic policies along party lines without any regard for democracy itself. It's becoming a trend. So how would you feel if Biden had the votes and decided to restrict our own SCOTUS from questioning his decisions? Let me guess. You wouldn't like that would you? Because you know, liberals.

I stand with Israel and BiBi. I wish we had a strong leader running our Country. Instead, we have a bumbling fool that does not where he is or how to stand up when walking. Let's his son take drugs in the White House and has sexual deviants be naked on the front lawn. he is a disgrace!

You stand with BiBi? Rabin was assassinated in 1995. Wow! Talk about not having a clue. So you stand with the government of Israel but not the people of Israel. Good to know. Then you ramble on about crazy conspiracies that have no foundation in evidence.

So I'll ask you again.....


It seems all of your beliefs are based on which party is in power and not the rule of law or constitution. No surprise there. It appears you would rather have a dictator in charge instead of a president.

BiBi is Netanyahu's nickname. The Israel supreme court over stepped it's bounds and started to legislate from the court. He was just bringing that power back into check.

So saying that you can't appoint a convicted felon to a high government post is overstepping its bounds? Maybe you can show me some actual examples of where what you're claiming actually happened. And I noticed you still didn't answer the question.

How are they legislating from the bench? My understanding is that they have the ability to perform a judicial review to determine what falls in line with the constitution and what is unconstitutional, not unlike our own Suprene Court. What will be interesting to see is whether the Court will strike down the current law passed. Quite the interesting dilemma.

I would also posit a counter-point. What would your response be to those countering that Netanyahu is balancing the power too favorably to his own position? Dangers of fascism so to speak. In addition to that, you have to weigh in the fact that he was indicted for corruption and now likely seeks more judicial influence. Man, I feel like that reminds me of someone…

When it comes to Biden, I think it’s fair game to point out issues of cognition. The rant on the person going topless, who is now banned from the White House, and trying to pin drugs on his permitting Hunter Biden to do them in the White House is a foolish look. Attack policies, criticize motives, but have evidence and make points. The one biggest disappointment I have with the posting here, which is indicative of greater society, and a reason I went on hiatus, is the level of childishness borne from sensationalism and reactionism.

29 weeks of protest in Israel over this and now many of the Israeli military are threatening not to serve.

Former leaders of Israel’s security services are speaking out against Netanyahu’s policies

HERZLIYA, Israel (AP) — They contended with bloody uprisings, destabilizing wars and even the assassination of a prime minister during their service. But for dozens of former Israeli security commanders, the policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government are the biggest threat yet to the country’s future.

In unprecedented opposition, more than 180 former senior officials from the Mossad, the Shin Bet domestic security agency, the military and the police have united against steps they say will shatter Israel’s resilience in the face of mounting threats from the West Bank, Lebanon and Iran.

“We were used to dealing with external threats,” said Tamir Pardo, a former head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency and a leader of the new group. “We’ve been through wars, through military operations and all of a sudden you realize that the greatest threat to the state of Israel is internal.”

Netanyahu’s government, made up of ultranationalist and ultra-religious parties, was formed last year and immediately pressed ahead with a contentious plan to reshape the country’s judiciary. Senior government ministers have proposed a litany of steps critics view as undemocratic, including increased gender segregation in public spaces and giving an outspoken homophobe control over some educational content.

Critics say the overhaul will change the very foundation of Israel and remove the checks that would prevent the government’s more radical policies from becoming law. The government says the overhaul is meant to restore power to elected lawmakers and curb an overly interventionist and liberal-leaning judicial system.

The plan has sparked mass protests and opposition from a broad swath of Israeli society. Top legal officials, business leaders, the country’s booming high-tech sector and military reservists have spoken out against it.

Former security chiefs have too, as individuals. But now, dozens, some of whom were appointed by Netanyahu, have banded together against the government’s intentions, hoping their chorus of widely respected voices will bolster their case.

“We are the people who were there, who fought all the wars,” said Noam Tibon, a retired military major general. “We decided there needs to be a strong, ethical and clear voice that calls for and works to stop the process of destruction of the country.”

In a country familiar with wars and armed conflict, Israel’s Jewish majority holds its security establishment in high regard. Military service is compulsory for most Jewish males, which has fostered intimate ties between ordinary Israelis and the armed forces.

The group of former officers, dubbing itself the “Generals’ Protest,” reads like a who’s who list of well-known figures. Former military chief of staff and defense minister Moshe Yaalon and former Shin Bet director Carmi Gillon, who served when Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated, are among the prominent names.

While former security officials have in the past largely remained above the political fray, these are extraordinary days, said Idit Shafran Gittleman, a senior researcher at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies.

“Just as they protected the country physically,” she said, “now they are fighting over the character of the state.”

The movement says it draws members from various political leanings but has no political aspirations itself. Its leaders say they will disband once they feel the looming threat to Israel’s security is removed.

The former generals, like the broader protest movement, have not taken a clear stand on the Palestinian issue and Israel’s ongoing occupation of the West Bank. While individual members have spoken out, including Pardo, who told The Associated Press that Israel’s rule in the occupied West Bank amounts to apartheid, the group says it isn’t its focus.

The Palestinians and other critics say this is a significant blind spot for a movement that says it is defending democracy. But Israeli anti-occupation activists joining the protests believe the pervasive talk about democratic values and the ultranationalist makeup of the government is prompting an awakening over Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians.

The commanders say Israel’s cohesion as a society is crumbling and that it won’t be able to withstand the volley of challenges it’s now facing: surging fighting with the Palestinians, tensions with the Lebanese Shiite militant Hezbollah or Iran.

“Israel didn’t win wars because of its planes or its batteries or its tanks. It won mainly because of its human capital, its social cohesion, its brotherhood,” said former Israeli police chief Moshe Karadi, a group member. “That is breaking down. That is collapsing.”

The overhaul has exposed longstanding divisions in Israeli society, between those who support maintaining a liberal, Western-facing character and those who prefer to see Israel as more religious and conservative.

The disagreements have most immediately and perhaps destructively affected the military, the group of retired generals says. Not only have reservists, the backbone of the country’s armed forces, pledged to refuse to serve if the overhaul moves forward. The divide has seeped into the regular ranks.

The ex-commanders also oppose a draft bill that could grant blanket exemptions from the military draft to all ultra-Orthodox Jews. If the bill is passed, it would expand a current system of more limited exemptions that critics already say is unfair. They say government ministers are unravelling the country’s social fabric by publicly lambasting security services or soldiers who appear to oppose the government.

Karadi said the government’s steps are affecting all aspects of Israeli security, including the police.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has been promised a national guard force that critics have likened to a personal militia that would undermine the already overburdened police force.

Ben-Gvir, who oversees the police, has drawn accusations that he is politicizing the force. He has called on police to take a tougher stance against anti-government protesters, and a popular Tel Aviv police commander who regularly clashed with Ben-Gvir over the protests resigned in July under what he said was political pressure.

Pardo, who was appointed by Netanyahu in 2011, said the prime minister was once attentive to the counsel of his security chiefs. He says Netanyahu is now focused on political survival, especially since he was charged with corruption.

The generals group has its own critics.

Amir Avivi, president and founder of Israel Defense and Security Forum, a hawkish group of former military officers, said the generals are obsessed with Netanyahu’s downfall and misusing their security credentials to further a political message that itself may harm Israel’s security.

“We see a discourse that is very shallow, full of slogans and political. This is not the type of speech that is expected from officers,” he said.

Generals’ Protest group members have spoken at mass protests against the overhaul and are quietly lobbying coalition legislators.

They also insist that they don’t oppose the government itself, which they say was legitimately elected, nor that they are some kind of military junta hoping to overthrow it.

“We are people who sacrificed their lives and careers for the security of the state,” said Pardo. “Maybe it’s worth listening to us.”

https://apnews.com/article/israel-n...v69U44GLzNWuuQynuhI8RCxY1e_7BHay1m0AaIP8

Who would have thought a leader facing criminal charges would try to undermine the legal system? Never mind, we already know. Could this be a foreshadowing of things to come in America? That may very well depend on who we put in charge.