Bibi screws up our editorial schedule

On the bright side, Israel pulled back from the abyss.

Claire—If you’ve checked the news in the past few hours, you’ll know that it was an extremely dramatic day in Israel.

Last Saturday, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant became the first Coalition minister to oppose the judicial reform bill. In a live address, he asked the prime minister to halt the legislation, saying that protests against the bill were undermining the military’s morale and endangering national security.

He asked the coalition to pause the reform until Parliament returned from its holiday break, next month. Reservists had threatened to withdraw from voluntary duty. “This,” said Gallant in his televised address, “is a clear, immediate and tangible danger to the security of the state. I will not take part in this.”

So Netanyahu fired him.

That was the final straw. Protests broke out across the length and breadth of the country. Tens of thousands of Israelis poured into the streets. They blocked the Ayalon highway, Tel Aviv’s main artery. They gathered outside Netanyahu’s residence. They fought with police. They set fires. Israel’s largest trade union declared a general strike, shutting the international airport. Municipal workers and hospital employees walked off their jobs. Israeli diplomats resigned in protest. And finally, at the end the day, with the country more or less in outright rebellion, Netanyahu suspended the judicial reform proposal.

When I saw the news, I wailed and gnashed my teeth. I’d spent the whole day writing an essay about the chaos based on my expectation that Netanyahu and the coalition would remain intransigent. Suddenly, everything I wrote was obsolete.

Well, never mind. These things happen. I’m glad Israel’s okay. And I guess I’m glad I found out I was wrong before I published it, right?

At least I have Gabi Mitchell’s latest for you. It’s also now a bit overtaken by events, but his observations weren’t as closely tied to the news cycle. I’ve asked him to join me on a podcast to discuss this as soon as he’s free—and I’ve also asked all of my Israeli friends to explain what just happened for us, too. I’ll send you their thoughts as soon as they figure it out.