Universities, Labor Unions Strike to protest Netanyahu’s firing of Gallant, as Israel faces Complete Paralysis

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The Israeli newspaper Arab 48 reports that Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu fired his minister of defense, Yoav Gallant, on Sunday evening, setting off a new round of massive protests, along with threats of strikes and university closures that seem likely to paralyze the country. Netanyahu had discussed firing Gallant with Justice Minister Yariv Levin, who is said to have insisted that it was necessary.

Gallant provoked Netanyahu’s ire on Saturday evening when he addressed the nation on television, calling for a pause in the rush to “reform” the judiciary. As he spoke, hundreds of thousands of Israelis were in the streets protesting what they saw as an attempt to gut the Israeli justice system and to protect Netanyahu and his cronies from any accountability. Galant had wanted to give that speech on Thursday, but had been forbidden by Netanyahu, who then left for London. While the PM was abroad, Gallant spoke out.

Gallant said his concern was that so many Israeli reservists were refusing to do their regular military training in protest against Netanyahu’s move against the courts, and that the Israeli military was thus being dangerously weakened. Israel has a citizen army, and if large numbers of citizens refuse to serve, it would collapse.

Gallant is a man of the right and an old time Likud Party stalwart. A former navy admiral, he had commanded the Israeli assault on little Gaza in 2008-2009, called “Operation Cast Lead,” and tried to run interference for an officer who was responsible for killing 28 Palestinian noncombatants. He is thus hard for the Israeli far right to dismiss as a leftist “traitor” or “terrorist.” Some on the Israeli left, however, do see him as a war criminal.

Arab 48 reports that the powerful labor federation, Histadrut, announced that it and its constituent unions would go on strike to protest the firing and the move on the judiciary. Israel’s universities announced an open strike. The paper says that there is an expectation that the Israeli economy will be brought to a halt.

The Israeli chiefs of staff will hold an extraordinary meeting Monday morning to discuss the security ramifications of Gallant’s firing. Many officers are speaking out and saying that the move toward weakening the courts must be halted, given its negative effect on military morale.

Protesting crowds came back out Sunday evening in Haifa, Beersheba and elsewhere, and those in Tel Aviv closed the key artery, Ayalon Street. Israeli sources said that the numbers reached 500,000, about 5% of the country’s population.

A huge crowd advanced on Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem. Israeli police set up blockades and fired rubber-coated metal bullets at the demonstrators. Tens of thousands also surrounded the Knesset or parliament, with police warning of a violent response if the protesters attempted to run riot. They seem to fear something like the US Jan. 6.

The Israeli military announced that it was lifting the state of alert, since it had lost control of the street crowds, according to Channel 12.

Channel 12 also alleged that Minister of Justice Levin had threatened to resign if Netanyahu does not go through with the legislation to weaken the judiciary. The Shas and United Torah Judaism parties, parties of the Ultra-Orthodox, said that they would stand by Netanyahu.

The Histadrut labor confederation announced that it was joining the demonstrations that have wracked Tel Aviv.

The presidents of the universities announced that they would close from Monday on. They said that Netanyahu’s divisive attempt to weaken the judiciary had thrown the country into danger.

Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz complained that Israeli security should never be made a political football. They said that whoever accpted an appointment as new defense minister would cover themselves in shame.

Some Israeli observers were saying that Netanyahu had committed “an error” in firing Gallant.