Ben-Gvir might resign soon in light of mass protests

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen & Israeli Media
27 Mar 2023 20:02

Various Israeli sectors might joint the ongoing protests in "Israel" as Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir plans to resign from the cabinet.

Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben Gvir stands in the parliament in occupied Al-Quds, March 27, 2023 (AP)

The protests all over occupied Palestine have reached a boiling point, with more than 90,000 Israeli protestors taking to occupied Al-Quds in light of the ongoing demonstrations against the government's judicial overhaul plans.

This comes after Israeli settlers were demonstrating throughout Sunday night and Monday dawn. These demonstrations are still ongoing, and they have seen the Israeli settlers blocking main roads in various vital settlements as numerous sectors are going on strike.

Various Israeli economic sectors are continuing to join the demonstrations against the cabinet of Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's judicial reform ambitions, an Al Mayadeen correspondent reported.

"I will resign from the government if the legislation is postponed," Ben-Gvir told Netanyahu, as reported by the Israeli KAN public broadcaster. The far-right minister also underlined that he would continue pushing for the judicial overhaul from outside his coalition with Netanyahu.

Israeli media said earlier in the day that Benjamin Netanyahu had "overcome" the obstacles to announcing the freezing of controversial judicial amendments through an agreement he concluded with ministers Ben-Gvir and justice minister Yarriv Levin.

After hours-long deliberations with the government's coalition parties, Netanyahu left his office to the Knesset in occupied Al-Quds, where thousands are protesting the government's judicial amendments.

The Israeli Maariv newspaper said Netanyahu would announce a temporary suspension of the judicial reform later in the day.

The Israeli KAN broadcaster highlighted that opposition leader Yair Lapid told Netanyahu that he was ready to guarantee a safety net for the current government, noting that if one of the government's parties refuse to postpone legislation and withdraw from the coalition, he would guarantee votes that ensure that the coalition government does not fall for such a reason.

Furthermore, the broadcaster said Security Minister Yoav Gallant would remain in his post if Netanyahu goes back on his decision to sack him.

Netanyahu's office announced in a brief statement that the Prime Minister has decided to sack Gallant. However, the Times of Israel noted that "it is unclear what new position he will be given, if any." As per Maariv, Netanyahu now has 48 hours to appoint a new security minister.

According to The Jerusalem Post, Netanyahu told Gallant that he lost his trust in him after he "went behind the government's back" on Saturday while the occupation Prime Minister was visiting London.

This comes after Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the government must not put on hold its push to revamp the justice system.

Furthermore, the far-right finance minister called on his supporters to "come to Jerusalem [occupied Al-Quds]," saying: "We must not stop the reform aimed at fixing the justice system and Israeli democracy."

"We must not surrender to violence, anarchy, military service refusals, and wild strikes," he said, following in the line of other ministers from his far-right coalition with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu of calling the Israeli protestors "anarchists".

"We are the majority. Let's make our voice heard. We won't let our vote and the state be stolen from us," he underlined.