Jerusalem
CNN
—
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant after he dramatically broke ranks and called for a halt to the government’s move to overhaul Israel’s court system, the Prime Minister’s Office said. Minister in a statement on Sunday.
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to remove Defense Minister Yoav Galant from his position,” the statement said.
The minister’s speech on Saturday night – when Netanyahu was out of the country on an official visit to the United Kingdom – made him the first government minister to call for an end to the controversial law that undermines the independence of the courts.
Gallant is a member of Netanyahu’s Likud party. His comments opened a rift in Israel’s already balanced coalition government that could mean the plans cannot move forward.
“The Prime Minister summoned Minister Gallant to his office and told him that he had lost confidence in him after he acted against the government and against the coalition while the Prime Minister was on a political visit abroad,” a an official in the Prime Minister’s Office said. .
“Minister Gallant did not coordinate his words with the Prime Minister in advance and thus sabotaged efforts to reach a solution.”
In his speech on Saturday, Gallant said the pause was necessary “for Israel’s security.”
“Any show of defiance that eats up the strength of the IDF and undermines the security system must be stopped immediately,” Gallant said, referring to the refusal of some Israel Defense Forces reservists to train in protest of the plans. the government.
As he delivered his speech, hundreds of thousands of demonstrators were across the country protesting against the plans for the 12th week in a row.
Under the proposals, the government would have control over the appointment of judges, and parliament would gain the power to override Supreme Court decisions.
The government argues that the changes are essential to control the Supreme Court, which they see as insular, elitist, and no longer representative of the Israeli people. Opponents say the plans threaten the foundations of Israel’s democracy.
The protest of military reservists is seen as a particular concern for the Israeli government, as they are often called up to train and serve, even in peacetime.
Shortly after the defense minister’s comments, far-right Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called on Netanyahu to fire Gallant.
“Gallant submitted tonight to blackmail and threats from all anarchists who called for resistance and the use of [Israel Defense Forces] as a bargaining tool,” tweeted Gvir.
“Gallant was elected by the votes of voters on the right side and in practice promotes an agenda of the left. In the moment of truth he collapsed under the pressure of the media and the protesters. I call on the Prime Minister to be removed immediately he.
Adding more pressure to Netanyahu, Israel’s High Court on Sunday gave him a week to respond to a petition calling for him to be held in contempt of court.
The legal move by Israel’s Movement for Quality Government comes after the attorney general told Netanyahu he acted illegally and violated a court-imposed conflict of interest order by saying he would personally involve himself. to judicial repair.
Part of the bill – which effectively removes the power of the courts to declare a prime minister unfit for office – has already been pushed through.
Critics say Netanyahu is pushing the changes because of his own ongoing corruption trials; Netanyahu denied this.
Netanyahu himself has given no indication that he will back down. In a speech on Thursday he said he would address the concerns of “both sides,” but promised to press ahead with reform plans.
Likud lawmaker Danny Danon said it was too early to tell if there were enough rebels in the party to stop the legislation, telling CNN, “We’ll only know on Monday,” when party members meet. the Knesset, or parliament.
Netanyahu and his allies control 64 seats in the 120-seat legislature, so in theory five Likud rebels could deprive the coalition of an absolute majority. But lawmakers can abstain or be absent, reducing the number of votes a law needs to pass.
Or, as Danon told CNN: “You don’t need 61.”