On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant after Gallant called for a halt to the planned overhaul of Israel’s judiciary that has caused division in the country. Netanyahu’s office did not provide further details. The move suggests that the prime minister will go ahead this week with plans to overhaul Israel’s judiciary, which has sparked widespread opposition. Tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets, military and business leaders have spoken out against it, and leading allies of Israel have voiced concerns. Gallant, a former army general, is a senior member of Netanyahu’s ruling Likud party. On Saturday, he called for a pause in the controversial legislation until after next month’s Independence Day holidays, citing the rift’s threat to Israel’s national security. Meanwhile, an Israeli good governance group on Sunday asked the country’s Supreme Court to punish Netanyahu for allegedly violating a conflict of interest agreement meant to prevent him from dealing with the country’s judiciary while he is on trial for corruption.
