Israeli Defense Minister Calls for Halt to Judicial Overhaul

 Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant attends a news conference with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at Ben Gurion Airport in Lod, Israel, March 9, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant attends a news conference with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at Ben Gurion Airport in Lod, Israel, March 9, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
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Israeli Defense Minister Calls for Halt to Judicial Overhaul

 Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant attends a news conference with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at Ben Gurion Airport in Lod, Israel, March 9, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant attends a news conference with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at Ben Gurion Airport in Lod, Israel, March 9, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Saturday called on the government to halt legislation on changes to the judiciary, saying the bitter dispute over the measures poses a danger to national security.

"The deepening split is seeping into the military and security agencies - this is a clear, immediate and real danger to Israel's security. I will not facilitate this," Gallant said in a brief televised statement.

Though others in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hard-right governing coalition have voiced some misgivings about the contentious judicial shake-up, Gallant's was the first clear, public objection by a senior cabinet member, according to Reuters.

"Legislation at this time must be stopped," Gallant said.

At least two fellow Likud party lawmakers, Yuli Edelstein and David Bitan, came out in support of Gallant and echoed his call for justice reforms to indeed be made, but with broad agreement.

It was unclear whether Netanyahu, wrapping up a visit to London and aiming to finalise legislation on at least one bill in the coming week, would heed their call.

Netanyahu - on trial for corruption which he denies - is under pressure from others in his cabinet who want him to proceed this week with a bill that would grant the ruling coalition more sway in selecting judges, which critics say would undermine judicial independence.

Highlighting tensions in Netanyahu's cabinet, far-right police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir urged the premier to fire Gallant, who he said had caved to opposition pressure.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid praised Gallant's "brave step" and said he was ready for talks on the reforms once the government stops the legislation.

But with a solid 64-seat majority in parliament, the coalition would still have enough votes without Gallant, unless more lawmakers back down from the proposed changes.

The judicial overhaul plan, announced on Jan. 4, has plunged Israel into its worst political crisis in years, as mass protests have swept the country.

It has also stirred concern abroad and warnings about a serious economic backlash.



Iranian Missile Hits Main Hospital in Southern Israel as Strikes Wound Dozens

Smoke rises from Soroka Medical Center following a missile strike from Iran on Israel, in Be'er Sheva, Israel June 19, 2025. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
Smoke rises from Soroka Medical Center following a missile strike from Iran on Israel, in Be'er Sheva, Israel June 19, 2025. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
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Iranian Missile Hits Main Hospital in Southern Israel as Strikes Wound Dozens

Smoke rises from Soroka Medical Center following a missile strike from Iran on Israel, in Be'er Sheva, Israel June 19, 2025. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
Smoke rises from Soroka Medical Center following a missile strike from Iran on Israel, in Be'er Sheva, Israel June 19, 2025. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

An Iranian missile slammed into the main hospital in southern Israel early Thursday, wounding people and causing “extensive damage," according to the medical facility. 

Israeli media aired footage of blown-out windows and heavy black smoke.

Another missile hit a high-rise building and several other residential buildings in at least two sites near Tel Aviv. At least 40 people were wounded in the attacks, according to Israel's Magen David Adom rescue service.

Israel, meanwhile, carried out strikes on Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor, in its latest attack on the country's sprawling nuclear program, on the seventh day of a conflict that began with a surprise wave of Israeli airstrikes targeting military sites, senior officers and nuclear scientists.

Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel, though most have been shot down by Israel's multi-tiered air defenses, which detect incoming fire and shoot down missiles heading toward population centers and critical infrastructure. Israeli officials acknowledge it is imperfect.

The missile hit the Soroka Medical Center, which has over 1,000 beds and provides services to the approximately 1 million residents of Israel’s south.

A hospital statement said several parts of the medical center were damaged and that the emergency room was treating several minor injuries. The hospital was closed to all new patients except for life-threatening cases. It was not immediately clear how many were wounded in the strike.

Many hospitals in Israel activated emergency plans in the past week, converting underground parking to hospital floors and move patients underground, especially those who are on ventilators or are difficult to move quickly.

Israel’s military said its fighter jets targeted the Arak facility and its reactor core seal to halt it from being used to produce plutonium.

“The strike targeted the component intended for plutonium production, in order to prevent the reactor from being restored and used for nuclear weapons development,” the military said. Israel separately claimed to have struck another site around Natanz it described as being related to Iran’s nuclear program.

Iranian state TV said there was “no radiation danger whatsoever” from the attack on the Arak site. An Iranian state television reporter, speaking live in the nearby town of Khondab, said the facility had been evacuated and there was no damage to civilian areas around the reactor.

Israel had warned earlier Thursday morning it would attack the facility and urged the public to flee the area.