On Monday, January 27, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) press service reported that the country had raised the level of combat readiness of the armed forces to the maximum amid the outbreak of the protests.
It should be noted that these measures were taken against the background of a complicated protest situation in Israel, as well as the information received about the threat of a terrorist attack.
Earlier, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant publicly called on the Prime Minister on Saturday to suspend the document’s introduction. He said that nationwide protests against the overhaul of the justice system, involving growing numbers of military reservists, are affecting regular forces and undermining national security.
“The Islamist group Hamas is preparing a terrorist attack on the border between Israel and Egypt,” the statement from the IDF press service.
In addition, law enforcement agencies are increasing their numbers throughout Israel. However, law enforcement has been instructed only to make arrests in cases of extreme violence and vandalism, sources say.
That same evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he had dismissed Defense Minister Yoav Galant.