VIDEO: New Footage from Israel as Over 100,000 Protesters Join Demonstration Against Prime Minister

An uneasy night in Israel as protests against judicial reforms have intensified. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to dismiss Defense Minister Yoav Gallant after Gallant expressed opposition to the legislation, stating that the reform poses a threat to national security. Israeli media reports that several protesters gathered outside the former minister's home to show their support.

The Israeli police dispersed participants of the spontaneous anti-government demonstration, which lasted several hours on the eastern Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv. Water cannons were used to break up the crowd, and mounted police were deployed, as reported by Israeli Channel 13, according to TASS.

Protesters blocked the highway for several hours, lit fires, and planned to remain on the road at least until morning. Some activists began setting up tents on the highway. According to estimates from the private company Crowd Solutions, the number of protesters reached 105,000. Ultimately, all demonstrators were dispersed, following which the police fully closed the entrance to the highway.

The spontaneous protests that began on the evening of March 26 were triggered by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to dismiss Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant. Reports indicate that Netanyahu fired Gallant one day after the latter called on the ruling coalition to freeze the judicial reform process, citing that it had created "division." Al Jazeera reported this based on a statement from the Israeli government office.

Gallant, a representative of Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party, became the first senior official to call for a one-month halt to the controversial legislative process to reform Israel's judicial system in the wake of protests involving around 200,000 citizens. According to him, the situation threatens Israel's security.

In a brief statement, Netanyahu's office confirmed the dismissal of Gallant. Shortly afterward, Netanyahu wrote on his Twitter page that "we must all stand firm against rejection." Following this statement, Gallant tweeted that "the security of the State of Israel has always been and will remain my life's mission." The call to halt the process was welcomed by the Israeli opposition leader, former Prime Minister Yair Lapid, who described it as "a courageous and vital step for Israel's security."