Israel’s air force chief says the country’s enemies might exploit a political crisis triggered by an overhaul of the judiciary, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied would undermine its democracy.
Major-General Tomer Bar said his forces needed to remain “vigilant and prepared” after parliament on Monday passed the first of Netanyahu’s widely contested changes, removing the Supreme Court’s authority to void what it deems “unreasonable” decisions by government and ministers.
“It is possible that at a time like this they (Israel’s enemies) will try to test the frontiers, our cohesion and our alertness,” Bar said in an address to his forces, according to a statement released on Friday.
He did not elaborate.
The overhaul pursued by Netanyahu and his right-wing government has sparked a seven-month crisis, spurring unprecedented protests, opening up a deep social divide and shaking the commitment to call-up duty of some army reservists.
Protesters accuse Netanyahu of working to weaken the courts’ independence even as he argues his innocence in a graft trial.
One of their leaders, Eran Schwartz, said demonstrations would continue on Saturday, with actions planned in 150 locations.
As the crisis escalated following Monday’s vote, Israel’s Ynet news said Netanyahu received at least four letters from military Intelligence warning of serious security ramifications arising from the judicial overhaul.
Read the article by Henriette Chacar in Perth Now and The Canberra Times.