Israeli President Isaac Herzog warned that Israel is in danger of collapse with the escalation of protests against the government's plan to reduce the powers of the judiciary, at a time when the demonstrations disrupted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's travel to Italy.
In a live televised speech on Thursday evening, Herzog said, "What is happening is a real catastrophe, and our country is collapsing before my eyes."
The Israeli president added that the situation is heading to a point of no return, and that the judicial amendments proposed by the government should be abandoned and replaced by the agreed framework.
Herzog's statements come after thousands of demonstrators paralyzed movement in the city of Tel Aviv and Ben Gurion Airport, as they closed the main axis that connects all cities of the Greater Tel Aviv area with the rest of Israel.
The demonstrators blocked several roads, paralyzed the movement of those entering Ben Gurion International Airport, and clashed with the police in some locations.
After the shooting attack on Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv this evening, the demonstrators left the streets.
For his part, Netanyahu accused the opposition of seeking to cause chaos and bring down his government.
Confusion of Netanyahu's travel
The demonstrations disrupted the prime minister's arrival at Ben Gurion Airport to meet with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who then traveled to Italy.
The plane carrying Netanyahu took off from Tel Aviv to Rome after the departure date was repeatedly postponed, and the Israeli police mobilized about 3,000 of its personnel to secure his arrival at the airport.
Netanyahu was forced to reach the airport east of Tel Aviv with a police helicopter that transported him from Jerusalem to the airport, following the escalation of protests and hundreds of protesters storming the airport grounds and closing the main street in it.
Thousands of protesters also cut off the main axis of "Ayalon" roads in Tel Aviv, paralyzing movement in the greater Tel Aviv area.
Others blocked the entrance to the city of Haifa in the context of escalating protests against what they see as a coup against the judicial institution and the law, and Israel's transformation of a racist, dictatorial tyranny through a project that Netanyahu's ruling coalition calls judicial reforms.
The officials did not reveal how Netanyahu managed to avoid the convoys of protesters who raised Israeli flags and blocked access to the airport, in an escalation of the weeks-long demonstrations.
Netanyahu, who is facing trial on corruption charges he denies, says reducing the powers of the judiciary will restore balance between the various authorities.
Dismissal of the police chief
Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir dismissed the Tel Aviv police chief for failing to deal with the demonstrations that took place today.
Ben Gvir had told reporters at the airport that it was not acceptable to disrupt the travel of 70,000 people.
Simultaneously, the Israeli Air Force sacked a senior reserve officer because of his participation in leading the pilots' protests against the ruling coalition's project to amend the judicial system.
And the Israeli Channel 13 reported that the Air Force commander issued a decision to dismiss the commander of a military base affiliated with him, who was a candidate for a senior position, and that the Chief of Staff approved the aforementioned decision.
This decision - according to the same channel - is the first retaliatory measure against a senior reserve officer from the ranks of the participants in the ongoing protests.