JERUSALEM: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paused his signature plan to overhaul Israel's judiciary after a day of nationwide turmoil when workers joined a general strike against the proposal and hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets.
The plans by his nationalist religious coalition to hand control over judicial appointments to the executive while giving parliament the power to overturn Supreme Court rulings has ignited one of the biggest internal crises in Israeli history.
Announcing his decision late on Monday to suspend the plans until parliament returns after the break for the Passover holiday and Independence Day next month, Netanyahu said the crisis required all sides to act responsibly.
"Israeli society is on a dangerous collision course. We are in the midst of a crisis that is endangering the basic unity between us," he said in a prime time television address.
As he made the address, huge crowds had gathered in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, including a large counter-demonstration by right-wing supporters of the overhaul. Their presence prompted fears of possible violence between the two sides but the evening passed with no reports of major violence.
While Netanyahu and his supporters say the plans would ensure a proper balance between the elected government and the judiciary and would not endanger individual and minority rights, they have drawn sustained and furious opposition.
For months, hundreds of thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and other cities to protest a project its critics say would destroy the checks and balances protecting Israeli democracy.
Netanyahu, currently on trial on corruption charges which he denies, had previously promised the overhaul would not pose a threat to individual rights but had given no sign of giving way on any of its essentials.
The decision to suspend the overhaul followed an extraordinary weekend in which Defence Minister Yoav Gallant was sacked after warning the divisions caused by the plans had affected the military and were threatening national security.
His dismissal by Netanyahu led thousands to take to the streets and Israel's President Isaac Herzog to urge a halt.
The Histadrut trade union organisation called a general strike that prompted flights from Ben Gurion airport to be suspended and businesses from banks to McDonald's fast-food restaurants to close.
An early rally in Israel's shekel currency ILS= fizzled out after Netanyahu suspended the overhaul with its eventual fate uncertain.
Coming at a time when Israel faces a prolonged security crisis in the occupied West Bank as well as rising tensions with Iran, Gallant's dismissal had appeared to many a sign that the government had set aside the national interest.
While opposition parties gave a cautious welcome to Netanyahu's decision to suspend the overhaul to allow time to reach an agreement, many protesters remained mistrustful.
"I will continue protesting until these reforms are completely dropped, because this isn't a set of reforms, this is a coup by the executive," Eitan Kahana, a 27-year-old demonstrator in Jerusalem said.
Within his own coalition, there was also some unhappiness, with hardline Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declaring the decision to suspend the overhaul was a mistake but promising to accept the prime minister's decision.
Arab broadcasters carried rolling coverage of the Israeli crisis with some Arabs saying they hoped it would lead to Netanyahu's political demise and others expressing hope of more far-reaching consequences for Israel.
Reuters
Tue Mar 28 2023
Israeli protesters chant in front of a burning fire at a demonstration against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his nationalist coalition government's plan for judicial overhaul, in Tel Aviv, Israel, March 27, 2023. REUTERS
KDN muktamad pembelian empat helikopter untuk APMM bernilai RM600 juta
Kertas kerja bagi perolehan aset itu sudah diserahkan kepada Kementerian Kewangan untuk keputusan akhir.
Kempen PRK KKB lancar setakat ini - Polis Selangor
Kempen PRK DUN KKB yang memasuki hari ketiga hari ini berjalan lancar dan tiada sebarang insiden tidak diingini dilaporkan setakat ini.
Buletin AWANI Khas: Asia Barat sedang ‘Stress’: Dialog menteri-menteri dunia Arab
Situasi meruncing di Gaza, konflik Iran-Israel dan ditambah pula persaingan kuat dua kuasa, Amerika Syarikat dan China dilihat terus membayangi percaturan geopolitik dan geoekonomi negara-negara Islam di Asia Barat. Beberapa Menteri Luar negara-negara Arab duduk sepentas di Mesyuarat Khas WEF, Riyadh dalam sesi ini.
#SpecialMeeting24
#SpecialMeeting24
AWANI Ringkas: Projek NTC | Sindiket Dadah
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Kilang cat terbakar, dua sekolah di Meru diarah ditutup
Penutupan dua buah sekolah terlibat iaitu SK Meru dan Sekolah Rendah Agama Meru 2 itu dibuat atas faktor keselamatan.
AWANI 7:45 [29/04/2024] – Meja bulat bersama 50 pemimpin industri dunia | Penggunaan komersial capai 80 peratus
PM yakin Malaysia jadi destinasi pelabur bernilai tinggi.
Kerajaan perkenal program solar untuk pengguna komersial.
Kelas Terapung dilaksana kawasan penduduk kepadatan tinggi.
Laporan Bank Dunia dedah hanya 58 peratus pelajar mahir membaca menjelang akhir darjah 5.
Kerajaan perkenal program solar untuk pengguna komersial.
Kelas Terapung dilaksana kawasan penduduk kepadatan tinggi.
Laporan Bank Dunia dedah hanya 58 peratus pelajar mahir membaca menjelang akhir darjah 5.
Malaysia perlu berani menentang Denmark
Hanya kemenangan menentang Denmark, kuasa besar badminton dunia, dalam aksi penting Kumpulan D Piala Thomas 2024 esok akan membawa Malaysia mendahului carta kedudukan.
Indonesia sokong pendekatan Malaysia bantu bangun 'peradaban' banduan Indonesia
Penjara bukan semata-mata tempat menghukum tetapi mentransformasikan ia sebagai institusi pendidikan yang memberi peluang kepada penghuni.
Polis tembak kereta mewah bawa dadah lebih RM100,000
Polis terpaksa melepaskan tembakan bagi mengawal keadaan selepas pemandu kenderaan terbabit bertindak agresif dan cuba merempuh anggota polis .
Polis siasat dakwaan pusat keagamaan di Nilai lakukan aktiviti mencurigakan
Ketua Polis Negeri Sembilan Datuk Ahmad Dzaffir Mohd Yussof berkata pihaknya menerima laporan berhubung perkara tersebut Jumat lepas.
Biden kekal tidak sokong pencerobohan di Rafah
Mesej itu disampaikan menerusi perbualan telefon dengan Perdana Menteri Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu pada Ahad.
200 hari menyerang Gaza, Israel rancang serang Rafah yang bakal memburukkan keadaan
Sejak Oktober tahun lepas, tentera Israel telah membunuh 34,183 warga Palestin dan mencederakan lebih 77,000 yang lain.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Israel akan mempertahankan dirinya sendiri - Benjamin Netanyahu
Israel akan membuat keputusan sendiri dan akan melakukan segala yang diperlukan untuk mempertahankan diri.
Israel dakwa serangan terbaharu Iran 'gagal'
Serangan semalaman Iran yang tidak pernah berlaku sebelum ini ke atas Israel telah 'digagalkan' kata tentera Israel.
'Kami sudah bersedia diserang Iran' - Netanyahu
Menurut Netanyahu, sistem pertahanan mereka sudah dalam keadaan siap siaga, sejak beberapa minggu lalu.
Biden ikrar sokong Israel sekiranya diserang Iran
AS akan terus melindungi keselamatan Israel sekalipun ketika Biden dan Netanyahu sering tidak sependapat konflik di Palestin.
Netanyahu lancar perang di Gaza atas dasar "kepentingan peribadi" - Bekas PM Israel
Sikap Netanyahu dalam menghadapi tekanan antarabangsa termasuk dari Amerika Syarikat hanya akan membawa kepada kejatuhannya, kata Ehud Olmert.
Israel masih belum beritahu AS bila akan ceroboh Rafah, kata Blinken
Pentadbiran Presiden Joe Biden akan bertemu "rakan sekerja Israel lagi minggu depan" untuk perbincangan mengenai isu itu.
"Tiada kuasa di dunia" akan hentikan operasi Israel di Rafah, kata Netanyahu
"Kami akan menyelesaikan penghapusan batalion Hamas termasuk di Rafah. Tidak ada kuasa di dunia yang akan menghalang kami."