More than three months of tensions culminating in a general strike prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to pause controversial judicial reforms.

The government’s plan to tighten Parliament’s control over judicial processes triggered some of the biggest mass protests in Israeli history.

Netanyahu delayed the decision on bitterly contested plans for a judicial overhaul amid fears that Israel’s worst national crisis in years could fracture his coalition or escalate into violence.

What are the proposed judicial reforms?

• The reforms were announced by Justice Minister Yariv Levin in January, days after Netanyahu’s government took office.

• The proposed legislation would give more weight to the government in the committee that selects judges, and deny the Supreme Court the right to strike down any amendments to so-called Basic Laws, Israel’s quasi-constitution.

• The PM presented the judicial reforms as key to restoring balance between the branches of government, arguing judges currently have too much power over elected officials.

• Netanyahu’s government, a coalition between his Likud party and extreme-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish allies, argues the changes are needed to rebalance powers between lawmakers and the judiciary.

• The reforms would allow lawmakers to scrap Supreme Court rulings with a simple majority vote.

• Opponents of the legislation have accused Netanyahu of trying to use the reforms to quash possible judgments against him.

• President Isaac Herzog, who holds a largely symbolic role, expressed concern over the deepening rift in society and proposed a compromise. However, the government rejected it.

• Members of the Opposition refused to negotiate with the coalition, demanding a complete freeze to all legislation related to the judicial reform.

Netanyahu sacks defence minister

• Concerns over national security and what he called a deep split in Israeli society had prompted Defence Minister Yoav Gallant to urge Netanyahu to shelve the legislation, prompting the PM to decide to sack him on March 26.

• That decision triggered more mass protests overnight, aggravating Israel’s months-long crisis and threatening fractures in the ruling coalition.

• Tens of thousands of people blocked Tel Aviv’s main highway, and thousands more demonstrated outside Netanyahu’s Jerusalem home.

• Gallant’s removal fed accusations the government was sacrificing the national interest for its own, especially at a time when the army is reinforcing in the West Bank with violence there increasing.

• The demonstrations against the overhaul plan intensified and Israel’s main trade union — Histadrut — declared a general strike, leading to chaos that shut down much of the country and threatened to paralyse the economy.

• Departing flights from the main international airport were grounded, stranding tens of thousands of travellers. Large mall chains and universities closed their doors, and labour union called for its 800,000 members to stop work in health care, transit, banking and other fields.

• The protests alarmed business leaders, former security chiefs and drew  concern from Israel’s close allies, including the United States.

• Netanyahu announced he would delay the overhaul, saying he was still determined to pass a judicial reform but would take the time to seek a compromise.

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