Regular flights were not interrupted, an airport spokeswoman said, although some travelers said they had to leave their cars behind the protesters' convoy and reach the terminal by foot. Netanyahu, who met Austin before his departure, arrived to the airport in a police helicopter, circumventing the protesters, Israeli media reported. There were no immediate reports of serious violence. Police, handing out traffic tickets as protesters held signs reading, “dictator: don’t come back!” said they would clear the demonstrators by force if they did not move.
The protesters' main objective Thursday was to complicate Netanyahu's journey to the airport ahead of a state visit to Rome.
#Army shooting blocks series#
Netanyahu denies wrongdoing, and says the legal changes have nothing to do with his trial.ĭespite the demonstrations, Netanyahu and his allies have pledged to press ahead with a series of bills that would strip the Supreme Court of its ability to review legislation and give coalition politicians control over judicial appointments.
#Army shooting blocks trial#
Critics say the overhaul will upset the country's delicate system of checks and balances and slide Israel toward authoritarianism.Ĭritics also say Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption, is driven by personal grievances and that he could find an escape route from the charges through the overhaul. Netanyahu, who took office in late December after a protracted political stalemate, and his allies say the measures aim to rein in a court that has overstepped its authority. “We demand that discussion or acts of insubordination be avoided,” said the generals. While some former top commanders have identified with the protesters, a group of 36 retired generals, including two former chiefs of staff, released a new letter saying the army must remain above politics. “Unionizing to synchronize absence from service, though coming from good intentions, is forbidden,” said Maj. Gilad Peled, until further notice, saying he had organized a pilots' protest. Later Thursday, the military said it suspended a pilot, identified in Israeli media as Col. The rift has affected Israel's military, which is seeing unprecedented opposition from within its own ranks. Beyond the protests, which have drawn tens of thousands of Israelis to the streets and recently became violent, opposition has surged from across society, with business leaders and legal officials speaking out against what they say will be the ruinous effects of the plan. The uproar over Netanyahu's legal overhaul has plunged Israel into one of its worst domestic crises. The current government is trying to destroy our democracy, and actually destroy the country,” said Savion Or, a protester in Tel Aviv. “Israel is on the verge of becoming an autocratic country. Some protesters barricaded the Jerusalem offices of a conservative think tank helping to spearhead the judicial changes. A small flotilla of paddleboards and kayaks tried to close off a main maritime shipping lane off the northern city of Haifa. The protesters “day of resistance to dictatorship” started with crowds descending on the country's main international airport waving Israeli flags and blocking the road leading to the departures area with their cars.Įlsewhere, protesters blocked main intersections and scuffled with police in the seaside metropolis of Tel Aviv and other cities. He also noted Biden had stressed the need for “building consensus for fundamental changes.” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, whose schedule was rearranged to keep his engagements close to the airport.Īustin briefly waded into Israel's domestic turmoil, repeating at a news conference President Joe Biden's recent comments that the “genius of American democracy and Israeli democracy is that they are both built on strong institutions, on checks and balances and on an independent judiciary.” Thursday's protests also disrupted a visit by U.S. Speaking later in Rome, Netanyahu appeared to praise Herzog's efforts, saying “We are all brothers.” He insisted that weeks of behind-the-scenes talks had brought the sides closer to an agreement.
It undermines our democratic foundations,” he said. Herzog, whose role as president is supposed to be as a unifying force and largely above politics, said the draft promoted by Netanyahu should be dropped immediately. “What is happening here is a tragedy,” he said as protests continued late into the evening. Israel's figurehead president, Isaac Herzog, who has been trying to mediate a compromise between Netanyahu's allies and the opposition, appealed for a solution in a televised speech late Thursday. The helicopter ride, while avoiding snarling traffic triggered by the protest, could deepen Netanyahu's reputation as being out of touch with Israelis at a time when the economy is slowing and the country finds itself torn apart over the government's plan.
0 kommentar(er)
