Thousands of protesters took to the streets in Israel overnight — including around Benjamin Netanyahu’s home — after the prime minister fired his defense chief over a dramatic speech criticizing a contentious plan to reduce the power of the Supreme Court.
Police scuffled with protesters outside Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem on Sunday, the Associated Press reported, while others gathered near the defense ministry in Tel Aviv in support of ousted Minister Yoav Gallant and against Netanyahu. They spilled out into the road waving Israeli flags and blocking traffic.
A spontaneous and massive protest spread this evening all over Israel, following Netanyahu’s decision to fire Defense Minister Gallant. Tens of thousands blocked for long hours The Ayalon highways, the most important road in the country (I took this video there at around 2 am). pic.twitter.com/8sp5H1FffJ
— Ronen Bergman (@ronenbergman) March 27, 2023
Protests in Central Tel Aviv pic.twitter.com/yveHG9ctgr
— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) March 26, 2023
The developments followed a statement from the prime minister’s office late Sunday saying Netanyahu had dismissed Gallant less than a day after the defense chief defied the premier by taking to the airwaves and calling for a long pause to the controversial legislation.