Israel descends into chaos: Airport shut, roads blocked as protests over judicial reforms spread like wildfire

Israel is witnessing an unprecedented country-wide protest in its history over the ruling government's proposed legislation to overhaul the justice system, which many see as an attempt to curtail the power of the judiciary. 

On Monday, Israel's national labour union shut down the country's busiest airport in Tel Aviv, roads were blocked in the city of Ra'anana and the chair of the largest trade union federation threatened to launch a mass strike if judicial reforms were not stopped. Fast food chain McDonald's too joined the protest and said it will shut down all its branches as part of the general strike.

The legislation, brought in by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has faced massive pushback as it seeks to empower the Knesset, the Parliament of Israel, to overturn any verdict by the Supreme Court with a simple majority. The bill also seeks to alter the composition of the 9-member committee which appoints judges, with more seats for government representatives. Not just that, the bill also gives the parliament the power to pass laws previously ruled invalid by the court, essentially overturning the Supreme Court decisions.

While protests have been going on for a month now, the developments in the past few days have put Prime Minister Netanyahu under massive pressure. Some of his own party members are now turning against the bill. Last week, Israel's defence minister Yoav Gallant wanted the bill to be postponed. And as he voiced his opposition, he was sacked by the prime minister over the weekend.  

Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Monday appealed to the prime minister to stop the proposed legislation, which is yet to be passed in the House. "We have seen very difficult scenes tonight," he said, referring to strikes in most parts of the country. 

"I appeal to the prime minister, the members of the government and members of the coalition: all the nation is surrounded by concerns. Security, the economy, and society are all under threat. The eyes of all the people of Israel are on you; the eyes of all Jews are on you; the eyes of the world are on you." 

"For the sake of the unity of the people of Israel, for the sake of responsibility, I call on you to stop the legislative process immediately...This is not a moment of politics, this is a moment of leadership and responsibility," the president said.

Yair Lapid, the leader of the opposition and former prime minister, called on Netanyahu to revoke the dismissal of Defence Minister Gallant. Lapid told a meeting of lawmakers from his Yesh Atid party that Israel could not afford to change its defence minister at this time. He said the prime minister had sacked the defence minister because "he was telling the truth".

Israeli newspaper Haaretz today reported that the country's justice minister Yariv Levin, architect of the government's judicial reform, has said that he would "respect any decision Prime Minister Netanyahu makes about the judicial reform legislation".

Today, Israel's nurses' union joined the nationwide strike called by the General Organization of Workers. "We are calling to halt the legislation and engage the sides in dialogue," the head of the nurses union was quoted as saying by Haaretz. "We all work together to save lives, regardless of any person's background, it is time to act together for national unity."

One of Israel's largest chain of shopping centres, Big, announced it will join the general strike and said customers will only be allowed into pharmacies and supermarkets, according to Haaretz. The report said that leaders from the high-tech industry have warned to join the strike: "We have no other option but to shut down the Israeli high-tech industry."