Israel’s deepening political crisis erupts in protests

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday that he will delay his government’s plans to overhaul the country’s judicial system amid an unprecedented general strike and massive protests that brought airport departures, universities, and shopping centers to a halt.

This follows months of mass mobilizations across Israel against the judicial proposals, which would weaken the independence of the country’s high court and create the conditions for unchecked majoritarian rule.

Despite the delay, this moment is a crisis for Israel’s democracy. It’s a crisis initiated by these specific proposals, but one built on decades of right-wing policies promulgated by Netanyahu. Netanyahu and his allies are pursuing a shock doctrine that amounts to crippling the Israeli governance system and radical changes to the way the occupation of the West Bank is administered. Even if one part of these plans is delayed, the government’s ideology remains unchanged.

Israel’s allies have expressed concern about moving forward with the overhaul plan, with US President Joe Biden calling for a compromise.

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