Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday announced the postponement of his plan to repair the justice system and said he would take time to reach a compromise with his political opponents on the controversial package.
Netanyahu announced this after two days of mass protests against the plan.
“When it is possible to avoid civil war through dialogue, as prime minister I pause for dialogue,” he said in a nationally televised speech. In a more conciliatory tone than in previous speeches, Netanyahu said he was determined to proceed with judicial reform but called for “trying to reach a broad consensus”.
Immediately after his announcement, the head of the country’s largest trade union said it would call off the general strike that threatened to cripple Israel’s economy.
Netanyahu spoke after tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrated outside Parliament and workers launched a nationwide strike Monday in a dramatic escalation of mass protests to stop his plan.
Chaos paralyzed most of the country and threatened to cripple the economy. Departures from the main international airport have been suspended. Major retail chains and universities have closed, and Israel’s largest union has asked its 800,000 members to stop working in healthcare, transportation, banking and other sectors.
Diplomats have resigned from international missions and local administrations have had to close kindergartens and cut other services.
Chief Medical Officers union announced that its members would also go on strike. The growing backlash against Netanyahu’s plan came hours after tens of thousands of people across the country took to the streets to spontaneously express anger at the prime minister’s decision to sack the defense minister after he called for the renovations to stop.
They chanted “The Country Is Burning” in and lit bonfires on Tel Aviv’s main street, closing the thoroughfare for hours and many more across the country.
(With inputs from agencies)
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