Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed Defense Minister Joav Galant after his call to stop the controversial judicial reform. This was announced by Netanyahu's right-wing conservative Likud party on Sunday evening. Tens of thousands of people then poured into the streets in the coastal metropolis of Tel Aviv on Monday night to protest against the decision. In view of the precarious situation, the head of the right-wing religious government held an emergency consultation on how to proceed. 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. Even the US, as its most important ally, expressed "deep concern" in a statement: In view of the planned "fundamental changes to a democratic system," the White House called on the Israeli leadership to "find a compromise as soon as possible."

The former Defense Minister Galant 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.

Voices against judicial reform are loud

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, where the head of the Shin Bet domestic intelligence service arrived overnight for talks.

Support also seems to be crumbling in Netanyahu's own party: According to Israeli media reports, several Likud politicians are now campaigning to stop the judicial reform. According to the Haaretz newspaper, influential party leaders are calling for the resignation of Defense Minister Yariv 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 the vote on a law that is intended to give government politicians more influence in the appointment of judges will take place as planned this Monday, however, was unclear due to recent events.

Critics see separation of powers in danger

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

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 announce 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 the country – above all Iran, the Lebanese Hezbollah militia and militant Palestinian organizations in the Gaza Strip – could seize the opportunity to attack the domestically weakened state of Israel.