Massive Nationwide Protests , Erupt in Israel Over, Planned Judicial System Overhaul.<br />On March 27, hundreds of thousands of people in Israel <br />participated in mass protests against Prime Minister <br />Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to overhaul the judicial system.<br />NBC reports that the news comes after <br />widespread protests on March 26 after <br />the firing of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. .<br />NBC reports that the news comes after <br />widespread protests on March 26 after <br />the firing of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. .<br />Gallant was the first member of <br />the Likud Party that spoke out against <br />Netanyahu's proposed changes. .<br />NBC reports that prior to being fired, Gallant <br />warned that the plan will create divisions within <br />Israel that will threaten the nation's security.<br />Also on March 27, <br />Israel's diplomatic staff <br />went on strike. .<br />As a result, Israel's embassies around <br />the world shut down and some diplomats changed<br />their social media profile pictures to an Israeli flag.<br />In response, Netanyahu called for calm <br />as thousands of protestors took to <br />the streets of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. .<br />I call on all the demonstrators in <br />Jerusalem, on the right and the left, <br />to behave responsibly and not <br />to act violently. We are brothers, Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, via NBC.<br />According to critics of Netanyahu, <br />the plan threatens the independence of the <br />Supreme Court and limits powers held by judges. .<br />Protests and strikes have included Israel's <br />leading universities, which closed down in protest <br />of the planned changes to the judicial system.<br />We, the presidents and rectors of <br />the research universities in Israel, <br />express deep concern about the division <br />and polarization in Israeli society <br />and processes that could lead to <br />a real damage to the national strength <br />and stability of the State of Israel, Statement by Israel’s leading universities, via NBC