Benjamin Netanyahu has dominated Israeli politics for nearly two decades, outmanoeuvring his rivals with a combination of ruthlessness and skill to become the longest-serving premier in the country’s history.
But on Monday, the wily politician was forced to reverse course — at least temporarily — on his far-right government’s drive to overhaul the judiciary, after plunging the country into its biggest crisis in decades. Following months of protests, Netanyahu caved to public pressure after his decision to sack his defence minister for criticising the plan triggered a new wave of unrest and a general strike that threatened to paralyse the nation.
As news of the dismissal spread late on Sunday, tens of thousands of Israelis flooded the streets across the country to voice their anger. Israel was shutting down, as trade unions called on workers to down tools, sending the dissent rippling through the country’s institutions, with banks, embassies, ports and even Ben Gurion Airport suspending services.