With the dismissal of Defense Minister Joav Galant for criticizing a highly controversial judicial reform, the situation in Israel has escalated dramatically. Tens of thousands of people poured into the streets of the coastal metropolis of Tel Aviv on Monday night to protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision. In view of the precarious situation, the head of the right-wing religious government held an emergency meeting on further action. With leading coalition politicians, he is said to have discussed a possible suspension of the reform project. According to media reports, the army was put on high alert because of the chaotic developments.

Netanyahu had dismissed Galant, who belongs to his right-wing conservative Likud party, because of his call to stop the judicial reform. The reform, which is intended to curtail the influence of the Supreme Court and strengthen the government's position of power at the expense of the independent judiciary, has been the subject of fierce protests for months. The former defense minister had called on Saturday evening, the government to dialogue with critics. He warned that national security was at stake. For weeks there has been talk of growing discontent in the military, and numerous reservists did not show up for duty in protest against the reform.

On the streets, the anger of many people who fear for democracy in Israel is erupting. After 200,000 people had already gathered there on Saturday, countless demonstrators with Israeli flags blocked the central road to Jerusalem in Tel Aviv on Sunday evening and set tires on fire. The police used cavalry squadrons and water cannons against the crowd, from which stones flew at the forces. In Jerusalem, angry people broke through a roadblock next to Netanyahu's home, the head of the domestic intelligence service Shin Bet went there that night.

Crisis talks with Netanyahu

Netanyahu had consulted from Sunday evening until late into the night with several ministers of his cabinet about a possible stop to the reform, reported the "Jerusalem Post". The crisis meeting in his office was attended by Justice Minister Jariv Levin, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Education Minister Joav Kisch and Ron Dermer, the minister responsible for strategic issues. Citing sources in the Likud party, it was said that Dermer and Kish had pleaded for a suspension of the reform. Levin, on the other hand, had insisted, under threat of his resignation, to go through with the project against all resistance.

Allegedly, the coalition leaders want to discuss the next steps in the morning. According to the newspaper "Haaretz", influential Likud politicians are demanding the resignation of Justice Minister Levin, who has linked his political fate to the reform. The opposition politicians Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz called on Netanyahu's party colleagues in a joint statement "not to participate in the destruction of national security". The head of government had "crossed a red line".

Netanyahu's coalition, which has been in office for three months – the most right-wing one the country has ever had – actually wanted to implement core elements of the reform in the coming days. Whether a law will be voted on as planned on Monday, which should give government politicians more influence in the appointment of judges, is unclear due to recent events.

The government accuses the Supreme Court of undue interference in political decisions. In future, Parliament will be able to overturn decisions of the Supreme Court by a simple majority. The Prime Minister is to be better protected from impeachment. Critics see the separation of powers in danger, some even warn against the creeping introduction of a dictatorship.

Several mayors on hunger strike

The plans also triggered considerable international criticism. Even the US government, Israel's most important ally, expressed "deep concern" in a statement: In view of the planned "fundamental changes to a democratic system," the White House "urged the Israeli leadership to find a compromise as soon as possible."

Israeli universities announced a temporary halt to classes on Sunday evening in protest against Galant's dismissal and reform plans. Several mayors went on hunger strike, demanding an immediate containment of the national crisis. The Histadrut (Histadrut) scheduled a press conference for Monday, apparently to call a general strike.

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warned that Israel was in the greatest danger since the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Arab states had surprisingly attacked Israel on the highest Jewish holiday. Bennett called on Netanyahu to revoke Galant's dismissal, suspend reform and engage in dialogue with opponents. He warned the demonstrators not to use violence and to prevent bloodshed. "We are brothers," Bennett wrote.

Security experts warn that enemies of Israel – above all Iran, the Lebanese Hezbollah militia and Palestinian militant organizations in the Gaza Strip – could seize the opportunity to attack the country, which has been weakened by the domestic political crisis.