More than 500 Israeli doctors threatened on Thursday to leave the country in protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to weaken the judiciary and pass judicial amendments. Israeli Channel Seven reported on Thursday morning that more than 500 Israeli doctors from various specialities plan to leave the country in protest against Netanyahu’s plan to weaken the judicial authorities, a move that could plunge doctors into a serious health crisis.
Moshi Bar Siman Tov, the Director-General of the Israeli Ministry of Health, convened a broad meeting with senior health officials and representatives of the Doctors’ Union as soon as hundreds of doctors threatened to leave the country, not to mention those who have already emigrated from Israel since the announcement of the judicial reform plan in the country.
In a related context, over 50 Israeli police officers announced on Wednesday that they would stop serving in protest against the “judicial reform” plan that the government is implementing. This is the first time police elements have announced the suspension of their volunteering in protest against the controversial plan, after the military, thousands of whom have so far expressed their intention not to perform reserve service, while hundreds who are already serving have stopped serving for the same reason.
The Israeli newspaper “Maariv” said: “In the midst of the storm of volunteers in the army, a similar, albeit much smaller, event occurred in the past few days in the Israeli police, which has so far received 54 requests from volunteers to suspend their voluntary work.”
The Israeli police said: “The volunteer service of ten elements of the volunteer service in the police was stopped when they expressed themselves politically and even used their volunteering in favour of this activity.” It added: “The Israeli police would be happy to see all volunteers return to volunteer service in the ranks of the police.” It clarified that there are currently 24,600 volunteers serving in the Israeli police.
On July 18, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant called on reserve soldiers who decided to refuse military service in protest against the “judicial reform” plan to reconsider their decision, stressing that he needs them “to protect Israel”.
On the 24th of the same month, the ruling coalition (64 deputies out of 120 in the Knesset) ratified the “Limit of Reasonability” law aimed at limiting the powers of the Supreme Court (the highest judicial body in Israel) that enables it to annul government decisions on the grounds of “unreasonability”.
Israel is witnessing a series of ongoing protests since 30 weeks ago across the country, in protest against the government plan described by opponents as a “coup” and say it “will end democracy in Israel”.
