Massive Nationwide Protests , Erupt in Israel Over, Planned Judicial System Overhaul.
On March 27, hundreds of thousands of people in Israel
participated in mass protests against Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to overhaul the judicial system.
NBC reports that the news comes after
widespread protests on March 26 after
the firing of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. .
NBC reports that the news comes after
widespread protests on March 26 after
the firing of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. .
Gallant was the first member of
the Likud Party that spoke out against
Netanyahu's proposed changes. .
NBC reports that prior to being fired, Gallant
warned that the plan will create divisions within
Israel that will threaten the nation's security.
Also on March 27,
Israel's diplomatic staff
went on strike. .
As a result, Israel's embassies around
the world shut down and some diplomats changed
their social media profile pictures to an Israeli flag.
In response, Netanyahu called for calm
as thousands of protestors took to
the streets of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. .
I call on all the demonstrators in
Jerusalem, on the right and the left,
to behave responsibly and not
to act violently. We are brothers, Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, via NBC.
According to critics of Netanyahu,
the plan threatens the independence of the
Supreme Court and limits powers held by judges. .
Protests and strikes have included Israel's
leading universities, which closed down in protest
of the planned changes to the judicial system.
We, the presidents and rectors of
the research universities in Israel,
express deep concern about the division
and polarization in Israeli society
and processes that could lead to
a real damage to the national strength
and stability of the State of Israel, Statement by Israel’s leading universities, via NBC