Mass Israel protests after Netanyahu fires defence minister

COLOMBO (News1st); Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in Israel following the dismissal of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who spoke out against a controversial plan to overhaul the justice system. 

Demonstrations have occurred across the country, with police and soldiers using water cannons against protestors near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence in Jerusalem. 

After he was fired, Gallant took to Twitter to reaffirm: "The state of Israel's security has always been and will always be my life's mission."

Israel's opposition leader Yair Lapid described Gallant's sacking as "a new low" for the government.

The proposed reforms would grant the government full control over the committee that appoints judges and make it harder for courts to remove an unfit leader, leading to concerns about the incumbent, who is currently facing corruption charges. 

The US has expressed deep concern about the situation and called for a compromise. The protests come after a week of planned disruptions over the new law, which has already caused unrest among reservists, including fighter pilots in an elite Israeli Air Force squadron who initially refused to attend training in protest. 

Netanyahu aims to push the legislation through parliament by the end of the week, citing public support for the reforms.