Leading Israeli opposition lawmakers called for protests after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
The citizens of Israel should go on strike, said Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats, the alliance between the social-democratic Labour Party and the left-liberal Merez.
Netanyahu unexpectedly fired Gallant, saying trust in him was “broken,” despite the nation being embroiled in fighting on multiple fronts. The opposition slammed the move, saying it was motivated by his own political purposes and would endanger Israel’s security.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid said Netanyahu dropped Gallant in order to push through the controversial exemption of ultra-Orthodox men from military service in order to secure his governing coalition. Opposition politicians Benny Gantz and Avigdor Lieberman also sharply criticized Netanyahu’s move.
There was outrage in Israel on Tuesday evening, when his latest dismissal was announced, and thousands of protesters poured into the streets of Tel Aviv later in the night. They blocked the Ayalon Highway, a major traffic artery in Tel Aviv, with burning tyres and using Netanyahu’s nickname, they chanted “Bibi is a traitor,” “Bibi in prison” and “criminal government.”
