Israeli Govt must not pause overhaul, says Smotrich
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The Israeli occupation's far-right parties are continuing to call for the government to push through with its judicial overhaul bid, with the Likud party calling for unity.
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Tens of thousands of Israelis protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's judicial overhaul plan outside the Knesset in Al-Quds, occupied Al-Quds, March 27, 2023 (AP)
The government must not put on hold its push to revamp the justice system, said Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Monday.
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.
Economy minister calls for unity
In light of Smotrich's calls for pushing through with the judicial reform, Economy Minister Nir Barkat called for coalition parties to unite behind Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's expected call to halt the legislation.
"It is important the events do not bring down the coalition," he underlined.
"I call on all my colleagues in the government, in Likud and the partner parties in the coalition, to unite behind the prime minister and support him in stopping the legislation," Barkat added.
In the same light, Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin said he would "respect" Netanyahu's expected decision on progressing with judicial overhaul, though he warned that its delay would endanger their far-right coalition.
Levin has so far led the coalition's planned reform, underlining that if it were to be stopped now, "[it] may immediately lead to the fall of the government and the collapse of Likud."
"We must all make an effort to stabilize the government and the coalition," he says.
This comes as several members of Netanyahu's Likud party members said they would stand behind the premier, as well as his partners from ultra-Orthodox parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism. However, far-right Otzma Yehudit has been far more aggressive in the push to overhaul the judiciary.
Religious Zionism MK Simcha Rothman, who played a role in developing the judicial reforms, said "The elections will not be stolen!", "The people demand a radical overhaul of the justice system."
Israeli occupation forces chief Herzi Halevi claimed in an open letter addressed to active and reserve members of the IOF that "Israel has never known such days of external threats combined with an internal storm."
"This is a time for responsibility,” at a time when violent protests have become widespread and at a time when Security Minister Yoav Gallant was fired due to his opposition to the judicial reforms for reasons of alleged "national security," the security official underlined.
Protests in occupied Palestine have been taking place throughout the day, with Israeli occupation police officers taking drastic measures to violently disperse the protestors.
Israeli media reported on Monday that the occupation police began to forcefully clear out protesters using water cannons after they blocked the "Ayalon" highway in "Tel Aviv" for nearly five hours.
