Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired Defence Minister Yoav Galant a day after he broke ranks, citing security concerns in calling for a pause to the government’s controversial judicial reforms.
On a day when 200,000 people took to the streets of Tel Aviv to protest the reforms, Galant – who had been a staunch Netanyahu ally – on Saturday said “we must stop the legislative process” for a month because of its divisiveness.
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The plan to hand more control to politicians and diminish the role of the Supreme Court has regularly ignited protests and been questioned by Israel’s top allies, including the United States, which expressed concern Sunday.
“The growing social rift has made its way into the (army) and security agencies,” said Galant, a member of Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party. “It is a clear, immediate and tangible threat to Israel’s security.
“I am committed to Likud values… and placing the State of Israel above all… but major changes on the national level must be made through deliberations and dialogue,” he added, calling for a halt to the protests.
Detractors say the reform project threatens Israel’s democracy, but the government argues changes are needed to rebalance powers between lawmakers and the judiciary.
Netanyahu on Sunday decided to “dismiss Defence Minister Yoav Galant”, the prime minister’s office said in a brief statement.
In response to the decision, Galant countered on Twitter: “The security of the State of Israel has always been and will always remain the mission of my life.”
