THE Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu call him today Defense Minister Yoav Gallad, announced the Likud party, while at the same time a co-ruling party accuses the minister of leaving the government.

In Likud’s announcement, no clarifications are given on the reason for calling the minister. However, this follows Israeli media reports that Gallad will call at a 19:30 press conference to grant a suspension of the judicial reform, which has sparked unprecedented protests in the country, with demonstrations even involving members of the Israeli army .

Gallad has made no secret of his concern that many Israelis say they will not heed calls for military reserves if the reforms go ahead.

Critics believe that judicial reform jeopardizes the separation of powers and they warn that Israel may turn into a dictatorship. The bill has raised concerns both at home and abroad. Senior Treasury officials warned this week of the financial impact of the turmoil caused by judicial reform.

The shekel, rocked by nearly three months of unprecedented social anger over the coalition government’s attempt to curtail Supreme Court powers, rose 2.3 percent against the dollar after reports of Gallad’s call against reform.

Separately, Netanyahu is scheduled to make a televised address today at 8:00 p.m.

The far-right Jewish Power party that is part of the coalition government accused Gallad of leaving the ruling bloc. “Yoav Gallad has distanced himself from the right-wing camp,” National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Jewish Power party said in a statement.

Gallad is a member of Netanyahu’s conservative Likud party.

Thousands of Israelis took to the streets en masse again today to protest the government’s overhaul of the justice system, blocking roads across the country and intensifying a months-long campaign to galvanize the movement.

Holding flags and banners, they demonstrated on a main street in Tel Aviv, stopping traffic in the middle of the workday. A small group set fire to car tires on a road outside the port, briefly blocking the passage of trucks. Police cleared protesters from the street in front of a convention center in central Israel.