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Commentary By James Piereson

The Americanization of Israeli Politics

Large crowds of protestors have taken to the streets of Tel Aviv over the past week to protest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plans to overhaul Israel's judicial system. Trade unions, along with university students and professors, called for a general strike. Reservists in the Israel Defense Forces pledged to withdraw their service if the prime minister persisted in his plans. Israel's national symphony orchestra took to the streets to perform Israel's national anthem as an expression of opposition. Netanyahu fired his defense minister Saturday evening when he called to stop the reforms. Many warned that the demonstrations could devolve into a national civil war if Netanyahu did not change course. Earlier this week, the prime minister did indeed call for a pause.

Continue reading the entire piece here at Newsweek

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James Piereson is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute.

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